“(BYD’s) revelations show a serious lack of transparency in human rights diligence in its battery supply chains,” Amnesty’s Callamard said. “Other low-scoring companies, such as Hyundai and Mitsubishi, lack the necessary depth and information on implementation in key areas of human rights due diligence.”
“The commitments these companies report on are often vague and provide little evidence of meaningful action, demonstrating that they have a long way to go to meet international standards,” Callamard said.
While companies such as Renault and GM have stated their commitment to human rights due diligence and rank higher than some of the lowest-scoring companies, they still provide limited evidence of the full integration of these commitments into the operations of its supply chain, with little information on its risk assessments, according to the Recharge for Rights report.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and VW have “more to do” to “identify real and potential human rights risks in (their) supply chains,” Amnesty said, but the fact that they achieved a “moderate” score “ It should be maintained.” as a role model for others,” said Recharge for Rights.
Automatic fulfillment
Six of the 13 companies featured in the Recharge for Rights report responded to WIRED and emphasized that they take the issues raised by Amnesty seriously. BMW, GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Hyundai submitted statements about their poor scores.
Mitsubishi said the Amnesty report was based on information dating back to 2023, “but we have launched numerous efforts since then.” These measures, the Japanese company said, include the use of AI to “analyze possible connections with suppliers related to conflict minerals and other issues.”
Nissan provided WIRED with its Sustainability Data Book, which included best mineral sourcing practices, adding that the company respected the “human rights of all stakeholders” and complied with “applicable laws, regulations and standards.”
“Our supply chain compliance program sets the highest standards,” Hyundai said, adding that it was “committed to an ethical and sustainable supply chain that upholds human rights, environmental protection and safety.”
“We have been committed to respecting human rights for years, even beyond legal requirements,” said Mercedes-Benz, noting that “it is among the best automobile manufacturers evaluated” in the Amnesty report.
BMW pointed WIRED to the group’s compliance management documents. General Motors said it was committed to the “sustainable and responsible sourcing of goods and services.” A Ford spokesperson offered to be interviewed on a Zoom-style call but, at the agreed upon time, did not show up.
History of criticism
Mineral extraction can be extremely lucrative for mining companies, but people who live near these resources rarely, if ever, benefit. For some Brazilian communities, this changed last month following a court case that will be closely studied by industries that depend on such minerals, including the automotive sector.
The largest class action lawsuit in the history of England was presented in London on October 21a lawsuit involving 700,000 people seeking redress after the devastating 2015 breach of a tailings dam on the Doce River in southeastern Brazil. Nine years later, the Twelve River, which the Krenak indigenous people worship as a deity, is still poisoned with toxins related to the iron mine flood.