An investigation was launched by a Canadian ethics watchdog into Nike Canada and the mining company Dynasty Gold following allegations that the businesses used or benefitted from Uyghur forced labor within their Chinese operations. The investigations were announced July 11 by the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), Sheri Meyerhoffer.

The probes were initiated after an assessment of complaints regarding the overseas operations of 13 Canadian businesses was filed by a coalition of 28 civil society organizations in June 2022, according to Al Jazeera.

In an official announcement, Meyehoffer alleged that Nike maintains supply chain relationships with Chinese companies that have been identified as using or benefitting from Uyghur forced labor. However, Nike claimed that it no longer has ties with those companies while providing information on its due diligence practices.

Meyerhoffer also said that Dynasty Gold benefitted from the use of Uyghur forced labor at a Chinese mine that the company holds a majority interest in. In response to the complaints, Dynasty Gold explained that it no longer has operational control over the aforementioned mine and that the allegations came about after the business left the region.

Meyerhoffer has said that mediation between the parties involved in the complaints is not an option at this time.

“I have decided to launch investigations into these complaints in order to get the facts and recommend the appropriate actions,” Meyerhoffer wrote. “I have not pre-judged the outcome of the investigations. We will await the results, and we will publish final reports with my recommendations. It is our mission to resolve human rights complaints in a fair and unbiased manner in order to help those impacted and to strengthen the responsible business practices of the companies involved.”