Source : Procurement Leaders
Greenpeace have accused automotive giants including Ford, GM, BMW aof sourcing material from Brazil which is linked to illegal logging and slave labour.
The new Greenpeace report highlights the sourcing of the charcoal used to produce pig iron, which Brazil is a major exporter of and is used extensively to make steel.
The report by Greenpeace uses customs data which links these multinational companies to Brazillian companies Viena Siderurgica do Maranhão (Viena) and Siderúrgica do Pará (Sidepar) who export large amounts of pig iron.
The report claims that these two companies are linked to companies which purchase charcoal from illegal camps and who engage in illicit behaviour.
Greenpeace Brazil Amazon campaign director Paulo Adario said "By buying this steel, these well-known brands are helping to destroy the Amazon."
"President Dilma [Rousseff] must protect the Amazon and the people who depend on it by ending deforestation, slavery and the invasion of indigenous lands," he added.
Todd Nissen, of Ford Corporate Communications, told The Guardian that "We are very familiar with the pig iron situation in Brazil. We were first made aware in 2006 that charcoal produced there with the use of slave labour was in our supply chain.
"We immediately stopped sourcing from the site identified in the 2006 investigation and took steps to work with our supply chain to safeguard human rights throughout their operations. Last year, we renewed our inquiry into the potential points of entry for Brazilian pig iron in our supply chain and are evaluating supplier progress to ensure responsible procurement of the material."