Volkswagen Group's response
26 April 2021
The Volkswagen Group does not have any controlled affiliate located or doing business in Myanmar.
There is only an existing cooperation between MAN SE, a Volkswagen Group company, and a non-controlled shareholding (NCS) of MAN SE based in Hongkong. This NCS has been selling vehicles and truck parts to customers in Myanmar since 2008, mainly by export trade. The NCS does not, to the best of our knowledge, cooperate with Myanmar’s current military regime in any way. The NCS assures towards MAN SE that it has protected and will continue to protect human rights within the framework of its operations in Myanmar and that it “will continue to comply with all applicable laws and regulations”. MAN SE is exercising its influence upon this NCS to the legally possible extent to obtain complete transparency with regard to the NCS’ business activities in Myanmar and to ensure that the NCS does not commit or support any human rights violations.
At the same time, MAN Energy Solutions, a further Volkswagen Group company, cooperates — via its Singapore office —with a trade agent in Myanmar who sells spare parts to customers on an impermanent contract basis with MAN Energy Solutions. In 2021 there have not been any business activities between MAN Energy Solutions and this trade agent.
All other sales and service operations in Myanmar involving products of the Volkswagen Group are conducted by economically and legally independent private persons and private importers.
We closely monitor the situation regarding human rights in Myanmar and hope that tensions will ease and that there will be a peaceful resolution to the ongoing tensions soon. The Volkswagen Group accepts its human rights responsibility in any of its entrepreneurial activities and complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
Business and Human Rights (volkswagenag.com)