That Apple is looking to ward off the criticism about the rather deplorable working conditions at its supply chain in Asia is evident from that the company has, for the first time ever, published the much-guarded list of its global suppliers.

The revelation marks a dramatic as well as unprecedented move by Apple, which has disclosed the names of 156 firms which represent 97 percent of the supply chain of the company. The disclosure was all the more unusual in the wake of the fact that, for driving margins, the tech industry is greatly dependent on overseas component suppliers.

Apple’s Friday reveal-all – which took most of the industry watchers and Wall Street analysts by surprise – is apparently the climax of internal investigations into the Cupertino-based company’s supply chain. The investigations have been widespread enough to include hundreds of audits over years, and some high-profile companies like Foxconn, Hon Hai Precision Industry, and Samsung.

Along with publishing the details of its global suppliers, after keeping the information secret for years, Apple has also said that it has improved the scrutiny of its supply-chain factories so as to make sure that the working conditions for the workers of the suppliers are up to the mark.

Towards that end, Apple stated in its recent supplier responsibility report that it is “committed to driving the highest standards for social responsibility throughout our supply base.”