落實永續守則 跟上國際法規

中鋼應面對越鋼人權與環境侵害問題

監督台塑越鋼聯盟代表今日（6/19）出席中鋼公司股東會，針對中鋼於越南河靜合資成立的越鋼公司在當地造成的人權與環境侵害，呼籲中鋼公司落實自己的永續守則及經濟部制定的企業與人權行動計劃，提出妥適的人權與環境保障對策，並公開相關資訊，落實與利害關係人的溝通。

代表監督台塑越鋼聯盟出席股東會的環境權保障基金會研究員林靖豪指出，中鋼公司透過轉投資企業台塑河靜開曼公司，持有台塑河靜鋼鐵興業責任有限公司20%股權，是越鋼公司最大的單一股東，中鋼在越鋼公司的董事會也佔有席次，對越鋼公司具有重要影響力。

林靖豪表示，越鋼公司於2016年4月，造成越南史上最嚴重的海洋污染事件，導致鄰近海域魚類大量中毒死亡，一名直接接觸廢水的潛水夫死亡，許多當地居民健康受害，基本生計受到嚴重衝擊，影響超過二十萬人，但越鋼公司到現在還沒有給予受害者應有的補償，受害者正在台灣進行訴訟，受到國際高度關注。

林靖豪指出，越鋼公司的嚴重污染及工安意外不是過去式，到現在都在持續發生，據越南當地及國際媒體報導，2022年10月，越鋼排出濃濃黃煙，遠達10公里外的高中都聞得到惡臭，雨水受到污染，嚴重影響當地居民的生活與健康；另一方面，越鋼公司的工安意外頻傳，2021年8月發生的事故，造成至少三名工人死亡，2022年10月則發生至少一死二傷的事故。

林靖豪表示，轉投資公司越鋼公司的營運活動，也屬於中鋼公司自己制定的《永續發展實務守則》的適用範圍，中鋼公司應該落實自己的永續守則，提出妥適的人權與環境保障對策，並應該公布污染及工安監測的資料和具體措施，積極與利害關係人溝通，保障受影響的越南居民的基本生存與環境權利。

林靖豪指出，監督台塑越鋼聯盟上個月就曾發函中鋼溝通，但到現在都還未獲得回應，希望中鋼能夠本於永續守則，落實與社會及利害關係人的溝通，共同解決問題。

林靖豪表示，全球供應鏈永續改革的浪潮方興未艾，犧牲環境與人權的企業將逐漸被淘汰，歐盟於上個月底正式通過《企業永續盡職調查義務指令》（CSDDD），如果越鋼人權與環境的問題未能解決，中鋼未來可能會面臨高額罰款，也可能面臨求償的訴訟，對於中鋼投資人而言，將會是未來重大的風險。

林靖豪表示，類似的法律不只在歐盟，包含美國、亞洲、以及台灣本身，都在積極推動當中，經濟部更是已經施行企業與人權行動計劃多年，中鋼公司應該儘速針對自身營運的人權與環境風險建立盡職調查制度，提出解決越鋼人權與環境侵害的具體行動計畫及時間表，以跟上國內外立法的趨勢。

對於中鋼公司代理董事長王錫欽回應，越鋼是台塑主導，中鋼不適合介入，據其了解2016年海洋污染事件後，越南政府並未對越鋼公司的環境保護做出任何裁罰，及越鋼公司已經補償越南政府等。林靖豪表示，中鋼公司依其《永續準則》，本來就應就合資公司的營運活動積極與利害關係人溝通，並應該運用其影響力積極影響台塑集團，推動永續發展，而不是避開責任。而越鋼公司持續的污染，都已經有媒體與在地居民揭露，如果認為越鋼公司沒有污染，以中鋼第一大股東持有者的身分，更可以積極要求越鋼主動公布監測資料，受公眾檢視。最後要澄清的是，越鋼公司給付越南政府的補償金，根本沒有足夠運用在當地居民的生計補償和改善，許多居民迄今未能得到任何賠償，生計仍然非常困難，這就是為什麼受害者要來台灣發起訴訟，也是許多國際非政府組織乃至於美國國會議員聲援受害者訴訟的原因，希望中鋼公司能在顧及人權及社會永續價值，再與受害者進行議和，了解越南當地情況。

監督台塑越鋼聯盟請中鋼公司提出公開說明並公佈相關資訊之問題清單：

（一）越鋼公司對當地空氣、水及土壤等環境有何影響？請公開監測數據，及製程中排放之各項污染物質清單。

（二）越鋼公司對當地居民之健康影響為何？

（三）越鋼公司對當地生物多樣性之影響為何？

（四）越鋼公司之鋼鐵製程及發電之碳排放量為何？

（五）越鋼公司自營運迄今，共發生多少起工安事故？有多少員工死亡或受傷？職業安全衛生保護之具體措施為何？

（六）中鋼公司對越鋼公司之環境、人權、氣候影響等永續發展重大議題有無盡職調查程序？若有，該程序為何？

監督台塑越鋼聯盟成員：人權公約施行監督聯盟、天主教新竹教區越南移工移民辦公室、台塑受害者正義會(JFFV)、台灣人權促進會、環境法律人協會、環境權保障基金會

Press Release

Implementing Sustainable Practices and Aligning with International Regulations

China Steel Company Must Address Human Rights and Environmental Issues in Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation

Representatives from the Monitor Formosa Alliance attended the annual shareholder meeting of China Steel Corporation (CSC) today, urging the company to address the human rights and environmental violations caused by its joint venture, Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation, in Vietnam. The alliance called on CSC to adhere to its own sustainability guidelines and the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Corporate and Human Rights Action Plan by implementing appropriate human rights and environmental protection measures and openly communicating with stakeholders.

Lin Jing-Hau, a researcher from the Environmental Rights Foundation and representative of the Monitor Formosa Alliance, pointed out that CSC, through its investment in Formosa. Ha Tinh (Cayman) Limited, holds a 20% stake in Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation, making it the largest single shareholder and an influential entity on the company’s board.

Lin highlighted that in April 2016, Formosa Ha Tinh Steel was responsible for Vietnam’s most severe marine pollution incident, resulting in the mass poisoning and death of fish in nearby waters, the death of a diver exposed to wastewater, and severe health impacts on local residents, affecting over 200,000 people. Despite these impacts, Formosa Ha Tinh Steel has yet to provide adequate compensation to the victims, who are currently pursuing litigation in Taiwan and receiving significant international attention.

Lin emphasized that serious pollution and workplace accidents at Formosa Ha Tinh Steel are ongoing issues. Reports from local and international media indicate that in October 2022, the company released thick yellow smoke detectable up to 10 kilometers away, polluting rainwater and severely affecting the health and daily lives of local residents. Additionally, frequent workplace accidents have occurred, including an incident in August 2021 that resulted in the deaths of at least three workers, and another in October 2022 that caused one death and two injuries.

Lin asserted that the operations of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel fall under the scope of CSC’s own “Sustainable Development Practice Guidelines.” Therefore, CSC should implement suitable human rights and environmental protection measures, disclose monitoring data and specific actions to address pollution and workplace safety, and actively engage with stakeholders to safeguard the basic livelihood and environmental rights of affected Vietnamese residents.

Lin revealed that the alliance had sent a communication to CSC last month but has yet to receive a response. The alliance hopes CSC will honor its sustainability guidelines and engage in dialogue with society and stakeholders to resolve these issues collaboratively.

Lin also noted the global trend towards sustainable supply chain reforms, where companies that sacrifice the environment and human rights will be gradually phased out. With the European Union recently passing the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), unresolved human rights and environmental issues at Formosa Ha Tinh Steel could result in substantial fines and lawsuits for CSC, posing significant future risks for investors.

Lin pointed out that similar legislation is not only emerging in the EU but also in the US, Asia, and Taiwan itself, with the Ministry of Economic Affairs implementing the Corporate and Human Rights Action Plan for several years. CSC should promptly establish a due diligence system to address human rights and environmental risks in its operations and develop a concrete action plan and timeline to resolve the issues at Formosa Ha Tinh Steel, aligning with domestic and international legislative trends.

In response to Acting Chairman of China Steel Corporation (CSC), Wang Shyi-Chin’s claim that Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation (FHS) is led by Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) and thus CSC is not suitable to intervene, he mentioned that, to his knowledge, after the 2016 marine pollution incident, the Vietnamese government did not impose any penalties on FHS for environmental protection and that FHS has already compensated the Vietnamese government. Lin Jing-Hao stated that according to CSC’s “Sustainability Guidelines,” the company should actively communicate with stakeholders regarding the operational activities of joint ventures and use its influence to actively push FPG towards sustainable development, rather than shirking responsibility. The continuous pollution by FHS has already been exposed by the media and local residents. If it is believed that FHS is not polluting, CSC, as the largest shareholder, could actively demand that FHS proactively publish monitoring data for public scrutiny.

Finally, it must be clarified that the compensation paid by FHS to the Vietnamese government has not been adequately used for the livelihood compensation and improvement of local residents. Many residents have yet to receive any compensation and continue to face significant difficulties. This is why the victims initiated a lawsuit in Taiwan and why many international non-governmental organizations and even U.S. Congress members support the victims’ lawsuit. It is hoped that CSC can consider human rights and the value of social sustainability, engage in dialogue with the victims, and understand the situation in Vietnam.

Monitor Formosa Alliance urges CSC to provide public explanations and disclose relevant information on the following issues:

1. What impact does Formosa Ha Tinh Steel have on the local air, water, and soil environment? Please disclose monitoring data and a list of pollutants emitted during production.
2. What is the impact of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel on the health of local residents?
3. What is the impact of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel on local biodiversity?
4. What is the carbon emission volume of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel’s steel production and power generation processes?
5. How many workplace accidents have occurred at Formosa Ha Tinh Steel since its operation began? How many workers have died or been injured? What are the specific occupational safety and health protection measures in place?
6. Does CSC have a due diligence process for significant sustainability issues related to Formosa Ha Tinh Steel’s environmental, human rights, and climate impacts? If so, what is the process?

Members of Monitor Formosa Alliance:, Environmental Rights Foundation、 Environmental Jurists Association、Vietnamese Migrant Workers and Immigrants Office、Justice for Formosa Victim、Taiwan Association of Human Rights、Covenants Watch