Honda Motor Co., Ltd. — Ethics Grade C

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. receives an overall ethics grade of C (52/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Automotive. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 60
• privacy: 75
• consumer: 45
• environment: 55
• humanRights: 60

Documented incidents (3)

• Fuel Pump Defect Recall (high, 2024) — Honda recalled over 2.5 million vehicles globally due to a fuel pump defect that could cause the engine to stall while driving. The issue was linked to high-pressure fuel pumps that could fail prematurely and increase crash risks.
• Lobbying Against Emissions Standards (medium, 2023) — Climate groups have criticized Honda for its membership in trade associations that actively lobbied against stricter CO2 emissions standards in the UK and EU. This was seen as a move to delay the transition to electric vehicles.
• California Emissions Deal Probe (medium, 2020) — The DOJ opened an antitrust investigation into Honda and three other automakers for entering a voluntary agreement with California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While the probe was eventually dropped, it highlighted corporate legal complexities regarding environmental standards.

Documented good deeds

• Hydrogen Energy Expansion — Honda started production of a new fuel cell system developed with GM, aiming to expand hydrogen applications to heavy-duty vehicles and stationary power to reduce carbon dependence.

Ethical alternatives

• Polestar — Features industry-leading life cycle assessment transparency for every car produced.