"Carmakers may be using aluminium made by Uyghur forced labour, NGO investigation finds"

Car manufacturers Toyota, Volkswagen, Tesla, General Motors and BYD may be using aluminium made by Uyghur forced labour in their supply chains and could do more to minimise that risk, Human Rights Watch says.

An investigation conducted by HRW has alleged that while most automotive companies have strict human rights standards to audit their global supply chains, they may not be applying the same rigorous sourcing rules for their operations inside China.

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While HRW holds broad concerns that aluminium produced by forced labour in Xinjiang could be spreading to car manufacturing operations around the globe, its report identified five companies – Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors, Tesla and BYD – due to particular concerns it has over their links to specific factories and companies inside China.

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HRW said there is “credible evidence” that aluminium producers in Xinjiang have received workers from labour transfer programs, as has the local coal industry that energy-intensive aluminium smelters rely on.

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Toyota did not answer questions from HRW researchers. In a statement sent to the Guardian, Toyota said the HRW report “will be closely reviewed”. “We expect our suppliers to follow our lead to respect and not infringe upon human rights,” it said.

Chinese manufacturer BYD did not answer questions from HRW researchers or respond to the Guardian’s inquiries.

Volkswagen told HRW that because it holds 50% of equity with its joint venture SAIC, it is not legally responsible for human rights impacts in their joint venture’s supply chain under German law because it doesn’t have “decisive influence”. However, the company acknowledged that it had “blind spots” over its global supply chain for aluminium.

A Volkswagen spokesperson told the Guardian it is “actively reviewing and using our existing procedures and looking for new solutions to prevent forced labour in our supply chain” and that it “takes its responsibility as a company in the area of human rights very seriously worldwide – including in China”.

Tesla told HRW it had conducted mapping audits of its aluminium supply chain which found no evidence of forced labour. Tesla did not respond to the Guardian.

General Motors told HRW it “is committed to conducting due diligence and working collaboratively with industry partners, stakeholders, and organizations to address any potential risks related to forced labor in our supply chain”. GM did not respond to the Guardian.