Apple, which has saidthat it is committed to donating to organizations that challenge racial injustice and mass incarceration, is not the only company to come under scrutiny for its links to slave labor. As of April 2021, the following global companies and brands are profiting from their use of modern day Uyghur slavery. China's Uighur crackdown expands to forced work in factories, some Please immediately end any sourcing from companies complicit in using forced labor, and discontinue any business relations with them. The Commerce Department will continue to take firm, decisive action tohold China and other perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable.. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States. Working with two human rights groups, the publication identified seven companies that supplied. Commentary: Rights Abuser China Emerging as Dubious Linchpin of Biden's Official websites use .gov The complexity and opacity of supply chains in China will complicate the due diligence process, as some products and materials made with forced labor in Xinjiang are repurposed in intermediary factories elsewhere in China, obscuring their origin. Most companies will require advance planning to assess the risks posed by the UFLPA and develop the compliance and due diligence mechanisms that will be needed to monitor supply chains and commercial partners. The UFLPA will replace the existing case-by-case implementation of WROs on companies operating in and product categories from the XUAR with a broad U.S. import ban and rebuttable presumption of the involvement of forced or otherwise prohibited labor. We look forward to seeing a prompt apology and response. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2021. A lock According to the researchers, Uighurs, a persecuted ethnic minority from Chinas western Xinjiang region, have been funneled to work in factories in other provinces under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour.. Importers of record will have a path to overcome that rebuttable presumption by showing that the items are not mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced labor and demonstrating other elements of compliance. Read the FLETF'sStrategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the Peoples Republic of China. The Tech Transparency Projectsaid a glass supplier was using forced labor in December; Apple said it had seen no evidence of forced labor. Are forced-labor Uyghurs making Apple and Samsung phones? The Washington Postreported Tuesdaythat Apple supplier Lens Technology uses Uighur workers in its factories, according to documents obtained by the Tech Transparency Project. Since the release of the ASPIs report, numerous companies and brands have released statements regarding their connections to Uyghur forced labor, with some taking direct action to end their complicity in supply chains corrupted by modern day slavery. Several Apple suppliers may have used forced labor in China, according to The Information. In 2022, legal developments look to focus the attention of the business community on ethics in the supply chain and introduce new due diligence and compliance challenges. An official website of the United States government. On December 23, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) to prevent goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China from entering the U.S. market. Check the below Frequently Asked Questions to see if your questions about UFLPA Strategymay be answered here. Share this article with your friends, and let them know which companies to avoid as well. CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against cotton products and tomato products produced in Xinjiang based on information that reasonably indicates the use of detainee or prison . Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock said the company has confirmed that Lens Technology has not received any labor transfers of Uighur workers from Xinjiang. In addition to alleging Amazons use of suppliers connected to forced labor, the TTP also found a number of accounts selling Xinjiang-sourced cotton, the sale of which has been banned by the US government last year. Forced labor has been a central part of China's campaign against the Uighurs for as long as I can remember. Some companies have even advertised their ability to supply Uighur workers through online bookings. Amazon is allegedly employing suppliers in China with links to forced labor, according to a report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a research group owned by the nonprofit watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability (via NBC News). The estimated figure is conservative and the actual figure is likely to be far higher., In factories far away from home, they typically live in segregated dormitories, undergo organised Mandarin and ideological training outside working hours, are subject to constant surveillance, and are forbidden from participating in religious observances, the report summary continued. In the last fiscal year, 835 companies were found . A Chinese-dominated mining company has procured millions of dollars in American subsidies to extract lithium in the United States - but, given a dearth of U.S. processing capacity, the mineral is likely to be sent to China with no guarantee that the end product would return as . It establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by . Uyghurs for sale | Australian Strategic Policy Institute | ASPI In March 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) published a report titled Uyghurs For Sale, which revealed a vast network of companies complicit in the use of Uyghur forced labor throughout China. (Photo by Anna Fifield/The Washington Post via Getty Images), Nike, Adidas, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are among 83 multinationals that have been linked to forced labor by Uighurs in factories across China, according to a new study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). Meet The Company Bridging Synthetic Biology Innovation With The World Of Insurance To Ensure Safe Food Production, Theres A New Species Of Magic Mushroom - Named After Paul Stamets, Absci Takes Its Generative AI Antibody Design Platform To Europe, Meet The Startup Thats Putting Ice Factories In Shipping Containers For Winn-Dixie Supermarkets. , which revealed a vast network of companies complicit in the use of Uyghur forced labor throughout China. Thereport listedpopular clothing companies Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Gap, Calvin Klein, H&M, L.L.Bean, Lacoste,Nike, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, and Victorias Secret, as well as General Motors, Goertek, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, and more. Dont turn your back on racism. A number of previous reports have implicated these companies in the past for example, Luxshare and Lens Technology were both linked to forced labor in bombshell reports from The Information and The Washington Post, although those reports pertained to Apples questionable history of suppliers. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Becomes Law - ArentFox Schiff China Companies in Xinjiang Uses Forced Muslim Uyghurs Labor: Report Secure .gov websites use HTTPS As your company has previously imported merchandise sourced from locations or entities potentially subject to the Act, you are being notified that any future entries of such merchandise may be subject to CBP enforcement action, including seizure, forfeiture and/or penalties, or other appropriate action under the customs laws. Those factories claim to be part of the supply chain of 83 well-known global brands., The Fair Labor Association has also written a statement calling to an end of all forced labor in East Turkestan: , The Fair Labor Association (FLA) is deeply troubled by credible reports of forced labor and other violations of fundamental human rights in the Xinjiang region of China. Rebutting the Forced Labor Presumption Corporate giants including Nike face growing calls to cut ties with suppliers alleged to be using "forced labour" from China's Uighur people. Call To House Republicans On Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Middleman Investigation. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 82 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen. For othersparticularly complex products with long, disparate supply chainsupgrading supply chain due diligence may require investment and management attention, as the companies may not previously have had a commercial need to track the sources of every upstream component and material. A number of companies and brands have been linked to labor forced on Uighur Muslims by the Chinese government, according to multiple reports. Major international clothing brands like L.L. An official website of the United States government. For more information, visitwww.bis.doc.gov. Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock said the company has confirmed that Lens Technology has not received any labor transfers of Uighur workers from Xinjiang. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Thus, companies can expect that CBP will improve its detection and enforcement capabilities relative to the last two years of WRO enforcement. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. 4 Vocation Skills Education Training Center (VSETC), Tanyuan Technology Co. Ltd. (including five aliases: Carbon Yuan Technology; Changzhou Carbon Yuan Technology Development; Carbon Element Technology; Jiangsu Carbon Element Technology; and Tanyuan Technology Development), Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) and its subordinate and affiliated entities. The US Department of Commerce said the . The programs target the countrys Muslim minority population, particularly Uyghurs living in Xinjiang. This op-ed was originally published by the New York Times on January 20, 2021. ChatGPT Swears It Can Optimize Your Inventory. The UFLPA now would effectively apply the presumption of forced labor to all goods made in the XUAR without the need for CBP to issue WROs. These categories appear likely to include additional manufacturers and intermediate supply chain participants outside of the XUAR. Versace Jimmy Choo Michael Kors Chanel Costco Hanes Hermes Gucci Balenciaga Yves Saint Laurent Bottega Veneta Alexander McQueen Kate Spade, BMW General Motors Jaguar Land Rover Volkswagen, Muji Kohls Macys Nordstrom Target Tesco TJ Maxx Marshalls HomeGoods Walmart Sams Club Flipkart Bonobos Walt Disney, Acer ASUS Dell HP Huawei Lenovo LG Microsoft Oppo Samsung Sony Xiaomi Cisco Electrolux. Any dollar that goes to these brands is a dollar that goes into the factories profiting off of Uyghur forced labor. Byler said the Chinese government's use of forced labor in the Xinjiang region has long been established, but has stepped up since 2017, when the most recent crackdown on Uighurs began. The report listed popular clothing companies Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Gap, Calvin Klein, H&M, L.L.Bean, Lacoste, Nike, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, and Victorias Secret, as well as General Motors, Goertek, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, and more. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. A number of companies and brands have been linked to labor forced on Uighur Muslims by the Chinese government, according to multiple reports. Amazon Accused of Using Suppliers With Ties to Forced Labor ASPI stated that it had found 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces that are using Uyghur labor transferred from Xinjiang since 2017. Apple found no evidence of forced labor anywhere we operate, a spokesperson told The Information. Amazon is reportedly using Chinese suppliers with ties to forced labor (See here.) It is incumbent upon you as an importer to apply due diligence, effective supply chain tracing, and supply chain management measures to ensure that such imports are free from any goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part with forced labor from the Peoples Republic of China, especially from the XUAR. Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. CBP is urging importers to be proactive and closely review their supply chains to ensure any goods or materials are not sourced from the XUAR in violation of the Act. Six of the seven suppliers were said to participate in work programs operated by the Chinese government, The Information reports, which human rights groups describe as frequently offering cover for forced labor. Earlier this year, Tesla faced criticism for opening a showroom in the Xinjiang region and was also mentioned as an alleged customer of the aforementioned Lens Technology company in the TTP report from December 2020. Even more to the point, how about forced labor right here in the U.S. with our prisons (especially the privatized ones), with our vagrancy laws, our with our use of cheap underpaid and unpaid foreign labor from the very groups that conservatives want to deport unless, of course, these conservatives can make more unbegotten money from their forced labor? Workers can be jailed for refusing to join the work programs, the report says, and those enrolled in the programs are often moved far from their homes. Nike, Apple linked to forced Uyghur labor in China, report says - Quartz manufacturing also using Uighur workers?https://t.co . Click Share This Page button to display social media links. At least 570,000 Uighur Muslims are being forced to work in Chinese cotton fields that produce one-fifth of the world's supply, a new report says. Interagency Convening on Equitable Economic Growth, Workforce Development - Employer Practices, Commerce Department Adds Five Chinese Entities to the Entity List for Participating in Chinas Campaign of Forced Labor Against Muslims in Xinjiang. The TTP pinpoints five companies on Amazons supplier list (available as a CSV file in the small print below the pages supply chain map) that have been publicly denounced for being directly or indirectly connected to the forced labor of Chinas Uyghur population in the Xinjiang region. Companies will need to comply with the law 180 days after its December 23, 2021 enactment. U.S. remote-control maker Universal Electronics Inc told Reuters it struck a deal with authorities in Xinjiang to transport hundreds of Uyghur workers to its plant in the southern Chinese city of . These Companies Are Linked to Forced Uighur Slave Labor 6256 - Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, DHS Press Release on UFLPA Public Comment Period, Federal Register Notice Seeking Public Comment. It will place new requirements on a wide range of industries that rely on labor from Xinjiang, especially apparel, automotive, technology, food & beverage, and solar companies. For the most up-to-date information on CBPs UFLPA implementation, please see our website at www.cbp.gov/trade/forced-labor/UFLPA. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. Ltd. Hoshine Silicon Industry (Shanshan) Co., Ltd., and Subsidiaries. Looking for the presence of forced labor is part of every supplier assessment we conduct, including surprise audits, spokesman Josh Rosenstock told Apple. Additional license requirements apply to exports, re-exports, and transfers (in-country) of items subject to the EAR to listed entities, and the availability of most license exceptions is limited. Senior China researcher explains why viewers should "stay away" from the 2022 Winter Olympics. Check the below Frequently Asked Questions to see if your questions about UFLPA Enforcement may be answered here. Best practices for compliance and supply chain due diligence still are evolving. The UFLPA reflects an expansion of U.S. policy efforts over the past two years to address reported violations of human rights in the XUAR. Please note that this notice may serve as an aggravating factor should CBP take enforcement action upon determining future violations of the Act. Apple, Samsung Among Tech Giants Using Coerced Uighur Labor for Lenovo also pointed to a 2018 audit by the Reliable Business Alliance in which OFILM scored very well. Several Apple suppliers may have used forced labor in China, according to The Information. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Apples supply chain has previously been linked to forced labor in China. In a spring 2020 report report titledUyghurs For Sale, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute found that at least 83 popular, household-name brands are potentially directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur workers outside Xinjiang through abusive labour transfer programs as recently as 2019.. Following near unanimous passage by Congress, President Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which seeks to untangle American supply chains from the forced labor of Uyghurs and other persecuted ethnoreligious minorities in China. The 83 foreign and Chinese companies that ASPI has identified as directly or indirectly benefiting from the potentially abusive transfer programs for Uighurs include clothing brands such as Adidas, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger and Uniqlo; carmakers such as BMW, General Motors, Jaguar and Mercedes Benz; and tech giants such as Apple, Google, Huawei and Microsoft. Almost all global clothing brands are implicated in the use of cotton sourced from Chinese-occupied East Turkestan (Xinjiang) as well. In March 2020, a damning report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute revealed that the Chinese government was forcing hundreds of young Uyghur women to. The ASPI found that 27 factories across nine Chinese provinces used the labor of Uyghurs forcibly transferred from Chinese-occupied East Turkestan since 2017. In June remarks, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincysaidhe was outraged, sad, frustrated, angry over the death of George Floyd and promised that the company stands with those seeking justice and equality., Nike has also spoken out against racism in the U.S., particularly in a May 2020 ad thaturged viewersFor once, dont do it. For the most up-to-date information on CBPs UFLPA implementation, please see our website at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/forced-labor/UFLPA. U.S. to crack down on child labor amid massive uptick | Reuters Although journalists have in the pastlinked Western companies to forced Uighur labor, this is the first time the problem is made apparent on such a large scale, enveloping factories and supply chains across the country. Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co., Ltd. Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (including three aliases: XPCC; Xinjiang Corps; and Bingtuan) and its subordinate and affiliated entities, Aksu Huafu Textiles Co. (including two aliases: Akesu Huafu and Aksu Huafu Dyed Melange Yarn), Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co., Ltd. (including three aliases: Anhui Hefei Baolongda Information Technology; Hefei Baolongda Information Technology Co., Ltd.; and Hefei Bitland Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd.), Hefei Meiling Co. Ltd. (including one alias: Hefei Meiling Group Holdings Limited), KTK Group (including three aliases: Jiangsu Jinchuang Group; Jiangsu Jinchuang Holding Group; and KTK Holding). Apple . However, a vast majority of implicated brands and companies have not taken any steps to address their ties to Uyghur forced labor. CBP guidance for XUAR WROs, and standards like the ILO Indicators of Forced Labor can provide reference points. Your companys response to the Washington Post, by your spokesperson has been disappointingly inadequate. Apr 9, 2022. (Amazon and Facebook told The Information they wouldnt work with suppliers using forced labor; Google and Microsoft didnt respond. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Abercrombie & Fitch, adidas, Amazon, BMW, Gap, H&M, Inditex, Marks & Spencer, Nike, North Face, Puma, PVH, Samsung and UNIQLO to respond; their responses are provided. Fila LL Bean Hugo Boss Lacoste Li-Ning The North Face Skechers Tommy Hilfiger Victoria's Secret Zara Zegna Anta Jansport Clothing Brands Versace Jimmy Choo Michael Kors Chanel Costco Hanes Hermes Gucci Balenciaga Yves Saint Laurent 13 Fashion Brands That Still Use Sweatshops In 2023 As the TTP notes, China uses what it calls labor transfers to transport Uyghurs from the Xinjiang region to factories throughout China, forcing them into labor programs the TTP says are often coercive and connected to a network of mass internment and reeducation camps., Five suppliers have been publicly denounced for being connected to the forced labor. All Rights Reserved, By submitting your email, you agree to our. Enforcement Priorities Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. LAIXI, CHINA - JANUARY 8, 2020: The fences along the side of the Qingdao Taekwang Shoes Co. factory [+] -- the side where the Uighur workers enter and exit, and live in dorms -- looks almost like a prison. Coca-Cola has frequently advocated against racism and discrimination in the U.S. For some products and industries, it may be easier to track sources and seek certifications of product origin. Nike and Coca-Cola Lobby Against Xinjiang Forced Labor Bill One of the suppliers operated in Xinjiang, the region of China predominantly populated by Uyghurs and where the most egregious human rights violations have reportedly taken place. An April 2021 report co-authored by Human Rights Watch and Stanford Law School details "crimes against humanity," including mass detention, forced labor, torture, and cultural and religious erasure. The Biden administration has been vocal about human rights in China and other jurisdictions, and efforts to enforce supply chain ethics appear to have bipartisan support. Questions regarding UFLPA may be submitted to UFLPAInquiry@cbp.dhs.gov. Primark is an Irish fast-fashion retailer with headquarters in Dublin, also operating in the United States. Companies doing business in China should consider the following to prepare for the new requirements. I understand that in some of these poor countries it may not be clear who may be violating human rights in some way but there should be minimum due diligence standards. Study Links Nike, Adidas And Apple To Forced Uighur Labor - Forbes This action targets these entities ability to access commodities, software, and technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and is part of a U.S. Government-wide effort to take strong action against Chinas ongoing campaign of repression against Muslim minority groups in the XUAR.