Two reports by Globalworks Lund AB explore forced labor risks in the supply chains of a total of eight battery manufacturing companies and an electric bus manufacturer, highlighting industry-wide human rights concerns in China. The reports find BYD and EVE Energy performs business operations at sites in Xinjiang and Tibet, where the risk of repression and state-imposed forced labour is very high. BYD, CATL, Durapower, Samsung, LG Chem, and Panasonic may be linked to forced labour in Xinjiang via their joint-venture partners, shareholders, through products, operations or services. At Yutong Bus, forced labour risks are mainly linked to a supplier contract with CATL providing batteries for all of the companies electric buses at least until 2032.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited all companies named in the two reports to respond. The responses of BYD and EVE Energy can be found below. CATL, Durapower, LG Chem, Samsung, SK Innovation and Yutong Bus did not respond.

We will indicate by 2 April whether Panasonic responds.