13 feb 2025
The bicycle industry’s dirty secret
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 feb 2025
Ubicación: Taiwán
Empresas
Merida & Centurion Germany - Employer , Specialized - BuyerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: 200
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Tailandia , Manufactura: General , Género no especificado , Unknown migration status )Temas
Retención de pasaportes , Intimidación y Amenazas , Detenciones arbitrarias , Tasas de contrataciónRespuesta
Respuesta solicitada: Sí, por Journalist
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: The World Bicycle Industry Alliance, which several bicycle brands including Specialized, Scott, Trek, Canyon and Giant are part of, said it is committed to reevaluate the topic of recruitment fee charging to explore clarifications or improvements needed in its code of conduct. The reporting says: "Merida’s president said in 2024 on its website that ‘Merida has yet to adopt the Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct [that includes practising no-fee recruitment and reimbursing employees who paid fees] and relevant human rights policies, hence [it] has not implemented the Human Rights Due Diligence.’" In 2026, it was reported that Merida (alongside Maxxis and Giant) had reimbursed an estimated USD8-9m to migrant workers in Taiwan. It is unclear if those workers specifically includes the workers impacted in this allegation.
Tipo de fuente: News outlet
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 feb 2025
Ubicación: Taiwán
Empresas
Fritz Jou - Employer , Canyon - Buyer , Pinarello - Buyer , Bianchi - BuyerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: 500
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Filipinas , Manufactura: General , Género no especificado , Unknown migration status )Temas
Tasas de contrataciónRespuesta
Respuesta solicitada: Sí, por Journalist
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: Comments from Pinarello, Canyon, & Bianchi are included in the reporting. Further, the World Bicycle Industry Alliance, which several bicycle brands including Canyon are part of, said it is committed to reevaluate the topic of recruitment fee charging to explore clarifications or improvements needed in its code of conduct. In 2026, it was reported that Fritz Jou had adopted no-fee policies and reimbursed migrant workers.
Tipo de fuente: News outlet
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 feb 2025
Ubicación: Taiwán
Empresas
Maxxis International - Employer , Amaury Sport Organisation - Other Value Chain Entity , Unipublic (part of Amaury Sport Organisation) - Other Value Chain Entity , Cheng Shin Rubber - Parent CompanyAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: 728
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( 728 - Vietnam , Manufactura: General , Género no especificado , Unknown migration status )Temas
Tasas de contrataciónRespuesta
Respuesta solicitada: Sí, por Journalist
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: Amaury Group refused to say if it has concerns about forced labour risks regarding sponsors or teams.
Tipo de fuente: News outlet
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 feb 2025
Ubicación: Taiwán
Empresas
Cycleurope (part of Grimaldi Industri Group) - BuyerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Ubicación desconocida , Manufactura: General , Género no especificado , Unknown migration status )Temas
Trabajo y condicionesRespuesta
Respuesta solicitada: Sí, por Journalist
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: The company says it does not accept workers paying for job, but did not commit to ensuring workers would have fees reimbursed.
Tipo de fuente: News outlet
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 feb 2025
Ubicación: Taiwán
Empresas
Pon Holdings - Parent Company , Kenstone Metal - Employer , Cannondale Bikes - Buyer , Cervélo - BuyerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Ubicación desconocida , Manufactura: General , Género no especificado , Unknown migration status )Temas
Trabajo y condicionesRespuesta
Respuesta solicitada: Sí, por Journalist
Tipo de fuente: News outlet
…for the workers who make our bikes in Taiwanese factories, conditions are often dirty, dangerous and demeaning… Bianchi, Canyon, Centurion, Giant, Merida, Pinarello, REI, Scott, Specialized and Trek … have had bikes or components made in Taiwan…
… Maxxis, has factories here too…
…Specialized and Centurion buy from Merida; Giant supplies Trek, Scott, and until recently REI; Bianchi, Canyon and Pinarello source from Fritz Jou among others; Cannondale and Cervélo from Kenstone Metal. Cycleurope – behind brands like Crescent, Kildemoes, Monark and Puch – also sources from Taiwanese firms…
...Giant will implement a no-fee recruitment policy this year…
No other Taiwanese manufacturers replied to our requests for comment…
…Merida is a majority owner of … Centurion … and minority owner of … Specialized…
…Specialized and Trek were silent for months…Scott…told us that ‘…we are pleased to confirm that Giant has taken an important step…
…Pinarello stated, ‘…we were not aware of this alleged practice, so we started to look into this after you wrote to us.’…Canyon…stated that future recruits … will not have to pay such fees. Bianchi, Canyon, Pinarello and Cycleurope all explicitly said that they do not tolerate workers paying for jobs …
… Chunghwa Post holds Giant shares…
…Continental is a main sponsor of the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia…The Tour and the Vuelta are organised by French media conglomerate Amaury Group …The group…refused to say if it has concerns about forced labour …
[all named companies were approached for comment by the journalist]