GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY | Report on child labor in supply chain at GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY

Status
Omitted
AGM date
Resolution details
Company ticker
GM
Lead filer
New Breeze
Resolution ask
Report on or disclose
ESG theme
  • Social
ESG sub-theme
  • Human rights
Type of vote
Shareholder proposal
Filer type
Shareholder
Company sector
Consumer Discretionary
Company HQ country
United States
Resolved clause
Shareholders request that, beginning in 2026, General Motors (GM) report annually to shareholders on the extent to which its electric vehicle (EV) supply chain may involve, rely or depend on child labor outside the United States. The report should be done at reasonable cost and omit proprietary and/or confidential business information.
Whereas clause
Numerous reports have shown that the mining of cobalt, a key component in EV batteries, is heavily dependent on child labor. Findings include:  About 70% of the global cobalt supply comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).1  Cobalt mining in the DR is often done by children – as many as 40,000 – working in hazardous conditions that pose a serious risk of injury or death.2  Membership in industry initiatives and other civil society organizations does not demonstrate that a company’s cobalt supply chain is free of child labor, since these organizations have limited governmental involvement and lack authority to effectively regulate cobalt production.3  As of 2020, the large majority of cobalt-producing mines in Congo were owned or financed by Chinese companies,4 and the DRC government has made “minimal advancement” in efforts to eliminate child labor.5  As much as 70% of cobalt from the DRC is connected with child labor.6 And virtually all Cobalt form the DRC is tainted by various degrees of abuse,
Supporting statement
Investors are concerned that the potential and actual use of child labor in GM’s supply chain poses significant financial, reputational, and legal risks to the company and to investors. Investors seek reliable data to evaluate those risks.

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