Nike finds itself under renewed scrutiny as Canada’s ethics watchdog launches an investigation into allegations of Uyghur forced labor within the company’s Chinese operations.
Following complaints lodged by human rights groups, the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) has initiated the first investigation since the establishment of its complaint mechanism in 2021. The probe focuses on Nike Canada Corp, with claims that the company maintains supply relationships with Chinese firms identified by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute as either employing or benefiting from forced labor. Although Nike has asserted that it no longer sources products from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), the investigation aims to uncover the truth.
Furthermore, Dynasty Gold, another company implicated in the inquiry, denies any involvement in forced labor at a mine where it holds a majority interest.
With a mandate to ensure accountability for human rights abuses in the overseas operations of Canadian companies, the ethics watchdog’s investigation sheds light on the gravity of the situation.
