Human Rights in Wind Turbine Supply Chain Update 2019

Wind energy is essential for the energy transition and for preventing the worst impacts of global warming. However, in order to realise a truly sustainable energy transition, the production of wind turbines must not have undue adverse impacts on human rights and the environment. For example, adverse human rights impacts and environmental damage related to the mining of important minerals that are used in the production of wind turbines, such as iron ore and copper, must be avoided.

Companies producing wind turbines have a responsibility to behave responsibly and take steps to avoid these impacts. It is also important to note that ActionAid and SOMO do not question the need for a transition towards a system of sustainable energy provision, nor the vital role that wind energy has to play in that transition. On the contrary, this report is designed to encourage and support the deployment of wind energy technologies in a truly sustainable manner.

This report assesses the responsible business conduct policies and practices of seven wind turbine manufacturers that are the largest suppliers of the Dutch market: General Electric (GE), MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, Siemens Gamesa, Nordex, Goldwind, Lagerwey and Enercon. The report serves as a follow-up to the 2018 ActionAid and SOMO report Human Rights in Wind Turbine Supply Chains, which identified significant gaps in the wind turbine manufacturers’ efforts to prevent adverse human rights impacts in wind turbine supply chains