NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Apple Inc. AAPL, -0.75% said on Monday that the Fair Labor Association will conduct special, voluntary audits of some of Apple's final assembly suppliers, including plants run by Foxconn in China. The first inspections under the audit are scheduled to begin today. "We believe that workers everywhere have the right to a safe and fair work environment, which is why we've asked the FLA to independently assess the performance of our largest suppliers," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. Apple has been the target of criticism for the environment and management of workers at plants in China in the past.