"Recharge for Rights: Ranking the Human Rights Due Diligence Reporting of Leading Electric Vehicle Makers", 15 October 2024

The report "Recharge for Rights: Ranking the Human Rights Due Diligence Reporting of Leading Electric Vehicle Makers" by Amnesty International evaluates the human rights due diligence practices of 13 major electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers. It aims to assess how these companies address human rights risks associated with their supply chains, particularly in the sourcing of minerals essential for EV batteries, such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, and copper.

Key Findings:

1. Human Rights Policies and Commitments: The report highlights that while many companies have established human rights policies, there is a significant gap in their implementation. Most companies demonstrate a commitment to human rights but lack comprehensive mechanisms for stakeholder engagement, particularly with communities affected by mining operations.
2. Risk Identification and Assessment: The assessment reveals that companies often fail to adequately identify and assess human rights risks in their supply chains. Many do not disclose sufficient information about the smelters and mines involved in their supply chains or the due diligence processes these entities undertake. This lack of transparency hinders the ability to understand the full scope of human rights impacts.
3. Public Reporting: The report critiques the quality of public reporting on human rights due diligence. While some companies provide information on their risk identification processes, the details regarding the outcomes of these efforts are often lacking. For example, VW's disclosures about battery materials do not adequately reflect the effectiveness of their mitigation actions.
4. Remediation and Grievance Mechanisms: The report finds that while companies express a commitment to addressing negative impacts, the descriptions of their remediation actions are often vague. There is insufficient detail on how companies involve affected parties in remediation processes, and many lack robust operational-level grievance mechanisms.

Recommendations:

1. Enhance Stakeholder Engagement: Companies should develop and implement comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategies that include affected communities, particularly Indigenous Peoples, to ensure their voices are heard in decision-making processes.
2. Improve Transparency: Manufacturers must increase transparency regarding their supply chains by disclosing detailed information about the sources of minerals, the due diligence processes of their suppliers, and the outcomes of their human rights assessments.
3. Strengthen Gender-Responsive Due Diligence: Companies are encouraged to adopt gender-responsive approaches in their human rights due diligence practices, recognizing the unique impacts of their operations on women and marginalized groups.
4. Establish Effective Remediation Processes: Firms should create clear and accessible remediation processes that involve affected communities and provide detailed information on the effectiveness of their actions to address human rights violations.
5. Regular Reporting and Accountability: Companies should commit to regular public reporting on their human rights due diligence efforts, including the challenges faced and the progress made, to foster accountability and continuous improvement.

The report underscores the urgent need for EV manufacturers to prioritize human rights in their operations and supply chains, ensuring that the transition to electric vehicles does not come at the expense of vulnerable communities and their rights.

Responses from the companies assessed can be accessed in Annex 2 of the report which can be found here.