The nonprofit organization’s 102-page report criticizes the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers for their management of supply chain risks and for overlooking human rights within their supply chains.
Amnesty International has released a comprehensive 102-page report detailing the failure of the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers to adequately address human rights concerns within their supply chains. The report highlights that these shortcomings potentially expose communities near mining sites—where crucial minerals like cobalt, lithium, nickel, and copper are extracted—to exploitation, health risks, and environmental harm.
The study by Amnesty International evaluated the human rights due diligence policies of 13 EV makers, assigning each a score based on their human rights policies, risk identification processes, supply chain mapping, reporting, and mediation efforts. The scores ranged from one, indicating the poorest performance, to 90, the best. Mercedes-Benz received the highest score of 51, followed closely by Tesla with 49 and Stellantis with 42. Volkswagen Group, BMW, and Ford each scored 41.
At the lower end, Chinese car maker BYD received only 11 points. Mitsubishi and Hyundai also fared poorly, with scores of 13 and 21, respectively. Agnès Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, expressed significant disappointment in these results, particularly highlighting BYD’s lack of transparency and the insufficiency in Hyundai and Mitsubishi’s implementations of key human rights due diligence practices.
In response to the findings, Hyundai acknowledged Amnesty International’s assessment and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a sustainable and ethical supply chain. On the other hand, BYD and Mitsubishi opted not to issue statements either to Amnesty International or to Autocar, who reached out to them for comments.
The report comes at a crucial time as the European Union prepares to implement a new regulation requiring a battery passport for all EV batteries over 2kWh from February 1, 2027. This measure aims to improve supply chain visibility and compliance. Gavin Harper, a critical materials research fellow at the University of Birmingham, noted that this regulation would significantly influence global manufacturers that wish to enter the European market.
In parallel efforts, several companies not listed in Amnesty’s report are taking steps towards transparency. Volvo is using blockchain technology to trace all cobalt entering its supply chain, a practice it plans to expand with a battery passport by 2027. Mercedes has been collaborating with RCS Global to audit its mineral supply chains since 2018. BMW participates in the Responsible Cobalt Initiative, and Volkswagen mandates compliance with The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance standards among its suppliers.
The broader context of these efforts is underscored by the harsh realities of cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which supplies approximately 70% of the world’s cobalt. Campaign group Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) has reported significant environmental damage and human health impacts due to cobalt mining in the region. Anneke Van Woudenberg from RAID described the pollution’s severe effects on the reproductive health of women and the local economy, contrasting sharply with mining companies’ claims of clean and sustainable operations.
