BYD Company Added to Brazil's 'Dirty List'

Brazil has added China's BYD Company to a registry of employers linked to slavery-like conditions, following a 2024 scandal involving 163 Chinese workers. These workers, hired by BYD Company's contractor Jinjiang Group, were allegedly victims of human trafficking and abusive contracts, including withheld wages, confiscated passports, and degrading living conditions. Brazilian officials hold BYD Company ultimately responsible for supervising its contractors. This listing carries significant reputational risk for BYD Company in Brazil, its largest market outside China, and bars the company from obtaining certain types of loans from Brazilian banks. While BYD Company denies prior knowledge of violations and has signed a deal with labor prosecutors, the inclusion on the 'dirty list' will last for two years unless overturned by a court.