A recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) found aluminum made by Uyghur forced labor may be in the supply chains of many global car manufacturers including Toyota, Volkswagen, Tesla, General Motors and BYD. As reported by The Guardian, the report further calls on these manufacturing leaders to do more to minimize that risk.

Human rights standards not applied

Thanks to the Chinese government’s labor transfer programs, Uyghur forced labor across China are hidden from sight. These programs “coerce Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims into jobs in Xinjiang and other regions”. The concerns raised in the report shine a light on the link between these government-backed programs and aluminum smelting in China’s Uyghur Region.

According to The Guardian:

The high level of repression and surveillance in Xinjiang, including threats to workers and auditors make it impossible…to conduct credible investigations into allegations of forced labor.

With many well-documented examples of Uyghur forced labor being used by the Chinese government across various sectors, the current situation means there is no way to ensure that the supply chains for auto components are not contaminated by forced labor. Currently, more than 9% of the global supply of aluminum comes from the Uyghur Region in the form of ingots that get melted down elsewhere in China and then mixed with other materials to make auto parts exported to car manufacturers, tainting the whole product.

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