Brazil: At least two certified plants involved in supplying ethanol to major global airlines have been implicated in recent slave labour scandals, says report; incl.companies' comments
Freepik
"Certified ethanol produced in Brazil for global airlines linked to slave labor", 05 December 2024
...As major global airlines embark on decarbonization plans, Brazil, the world’s largest producer of sugarcane ethanol for fuel, could become a key supplier of sustainable aviation fuel.
In January, LanzaJet, the first ethanol-based aviation fuel producer, was launched in the United States. The company, backed by shareholders such as British Airways and Southwest Airlines, plans to source primarily from Brazil and requires sustainability certification from its suppliers. However, according to a new report from Repórter Brasil, at least two certified plants involved in supplying ethanol have been implicated in recent slave labor scandals. The “Enslaved in Ethanol” report also reveals other previously unknown links between multinational corporations and ethanol suppliers involved in severe human rights violations...
Most reported cases occurred during sugarcane planting, an activity impacted by a significant regulatory change. The 2017 outsourcing law facilitated the recruitment of rural laborers by independent contractors, known as gatos, instead of direct hiring by mills or farmers. Experts consulted noted that this shift reduces protections and dilutes accountability for living conditions, food and payment provided to seasonal workers...
One of the Brazilian companies certified to supply aviation fuel is Usina Coruripe. In 2022, 18 workers were rescued from conditions akin to slavery on sugarcane plantations exclusively supplying the company in Minas Gerais. A federal inspection revealed that these workers, hired through a subcontractor, were housed 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the fields where they worked, in precarious accommodation without drinkable water or beds.
According to inspectors, they spent six hours a day commuting, and one woman, who also cared for her child after work, slept only four hours per night. Workers had to purchase their food and living necessities themselves...
In 2024, Usina Coruripe obtained the ISCC Corsia Plus certification, which is mandatory to access the aviation fuel market. The certification prohibits forced labor and illegal salary deductions...
The ISCC Corsia Plus program did not respond to contact attempts by Repórter Brasil. LanzaJet, which uses the certification as a supplier approval criterion, stated it maintains a “robust business conduct code across its supply chain,” including human rights audits conducted annually by external agents...
Another plant granted certification, in October 2023, was BP Bunge Bioenergia, a joint venture between agribusiness giant Bunge and British Petroleum (BP). Seven months earlier, 212 workers had been rescued from conditions resembling slavery on sugarcane plantations supplying the company in Minas Gerais and Goiás, marking the largest rescue of enslaved workers that year...Days before the rescue, some workers were reportedly exposed to pesticides sprayed by airplanes, resulting in symptoms like itching, vomiting and headaches.
BP Bunge Bioenergia, recently renamed BP Bioenergia after Bunge exited the business, was also accused of manipulating data and not cooperating with investigations into a 2021 fire in a sugarcane field that engulfed a bus carrying 15 workers, killing three. The company stated it compensated rescued workers and adjusted planting processes following the incident. Regarding the fire, it claimed to have supported affected workers and collaborated with authorities...