Volkswagen Group — Ethics Grade D+

Volkswagen Group receives an overall ethics grade of D+ (32/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Automotive. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 55
• privacy: 65
• consumer: 25
• environment: 20
• humanRights: 20

Documented incidents (3)

• Dieselgate Emissions Scandal (high, 2015) — Volkswagen installed 'defeat devices' in millions of diesel cars to cheat emissions tests. The cars emitted up to 40 times the permitted levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during normal driving conditions.
• Xinjiang Forced Labor Allegations (high, 2023) — Volkswagen faced intense criticism for maintaining a factory in Urumqi, Xinjiang, amid allegations of systemic forced labor involving the Uyghur minority. An audit commissioned by VW found no 'evidence' but was criticized for its limited scope.
• Exhaust Fume Testing on Monkeys (medium, 2018) — VW funded research that involved forcing macaques in a laboratory to inhale diesel exhaust from a Beetle for hours to prove 'clean diesel' technology, sparking worldwide ethical outrage.

Documented good deeds

• Way to Zero — VW has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and is investing €180 billion in battery production and electric vehicle technology.

Ethical alternatives

• Polestar — Publishes full Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and focuses on material transparency for its electric vehicles.