“[BYD’s] The revelations show a serious lack of transparency about human rights in battery supply chains,” Amnesty's Callamard said. “Other companies that score low, such as Hyundai and Mitsubishi, lack the necessary depth and information on implementation in key human rights due diligence areas.”
“The commitments these companies report are often vague and provide little evidence of meaningful action, demonstrating that they still have a long way to go to meet international standards,” Callamard said.
While companies like Renault and GM have stated their commitment to human rights due diligence, and score higher than some of the lowest-scoring companies, they still provide limited evidence of fully integrating these commitments into their supply chains activities, with little information about their activities. risk assessments, according to the Recharge for Rights report.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and VW have “more to do” to “identify actual and potential risks to human rights [their] supply chains,” said Amnesty, but the fact that they achieved a “moderate” score “should serve as a model for others to follow,” according to Recharge for Rights.
Automatic compliance
Six of the thirteen companies included in the Recharge for Rights report responded to WIRED, emphasizing that they take the issues raised by Amnesty seriously. BMW, GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Hyundai all sent statements about their poor scores.
Mitsubishi said Amnesty's report was based on information from 2023, “but we have made numerous efforts since then.” These measures, the Japanese company said, include the use of AI to “analyze potential connections with suppliers regarding conflict minerals and other issues.”
Nissan provided WIRED with its Sustainability Data Book, which includes best practices in mineral sourcing, 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 is “committed to a sustainable, ethical supply chain that upholds human rights, environmental protection and safety.”
“We have been committed to respecting human rights for years, even beyond legal requirements,” Mercedes-Benz said, emphasizing that the company is “the best among car manufacturers assessed” in Amnesty's report.
BMW pointed WIRED to the group's compliance management documents. General Motors said it is committed to “sustainable and responsible sourcing of goods and services.” A Ford spokesperson offered to be interviewed on a Zoom-style call but did not show up at the scheduled time.
History of criticism
Mining minerals can be extremely lucrative for mining companies, but people living near these resources rarely, if ever, benefit from them. For some Brazilian communities, this changed last month following a lawsuit that will be closely studied by industries dependent on such minerals, including the automotive sector.
The largest class action in English history was filed in London on October 21, a claim involving 700,000 people seeking redress after a devastating 2015 dam breach on the Doce River in southeastern Brazil. Nine years later, the Doce River, which is revered as a deity by the indigenous people of Krenak, is still poisoned by the toxins from the iron ore mine.
