Wednesday 12 July 2023 – 15:21 WIB
Canada — A corporate ethics watchdog in Canada has just launched an investigation into sportswear company Nike and mining company Dynasty Gold, over allegations of forced labor by China’s minority Uyghur community .
Vancouver-based Nike Canada and Dynasty Gold “are both alleged to own or have had supply chains or operations in the People’s Republic of China that have been identified as using or benefiting from the use of Uyghur forced labor,” according to a press release from the Canadian Ombudsman for Responsible Enterprises (CORE), launch DW.
The investigation was launched after a coalition of 28 civil society organizations filed several complaints in June last year regarding the offshore activities of 13 Canadian companies.
Since the establishment of its grievance mechanism in 2021, this is the first case in which a Canadian agency has opened an investigation, and no other agency in Canada has opened such an investigation. Meanwhile, CORE is investigating complaints against 11 other companies and is expected to release its reports in the coming weeks.
“I have not yet assessed the outcome of the investigation,” Ombudsman Sheri Meyerhoffer said in a statement, adding that the watchdog is “deeply concerned” about how these companies have chosen to respond to the allegations. “We will wait for the results and we will publish a final report with my recommendations,” he continued.
CORE was founded in 2017 to investigate human rights abuses, primarily by Canadian apparel, mining, and oil and gas companies operating overseas. However, he does not have the legal authority to prosecute the company if found guilty.
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