As major global airlines embark on decarbonization plans, Brazil, the world’s largest producer of sugarcane ethanol for fuel, could become a key supplier of sustainable aviation fuel.
In January, LanzaJet, the first ethanol-based aviation fuel producer, was launched in the United States. The company, backed by shareholders such as British Airways and Southwest Airlines, plans to source primarily from Brazil and requires sustainability certification from its suppliers. However, according to a new report from Repórter Brasil, at least two certified plants involved in supplying ethanol have been implicated in recent slave labor scandals. The “Enslaved in Ethanol” report also reveals other previously unknown links between multinational corporations and ethanol suppliers involved in severe human rights violations.
The increasing investment in Brazilian ethanol, seen as an alternative to fossil fuels and their climate impact, coincides with a surge in reports of slave labor on sugarcane farms. In 2019, after seven years without any cases reported by the Brazilian federal government, 45 workers were rescued from such conditions in sugarcane fields. These numbers have steadily increased, reaching 361 cases in 2022. The following year saw 258 people rescued, while new cases were identified in 2024.
Most reported cases occurred during sugarcane planting, an activity impacted by a significant regulatory change. The 2017 outsourcing law facilitated the recruitment of rural laborers by independent contractors, known as gatos, instead of direct hiring by mills or farmers. Experts consulted noted that this shift reduces protections and dilutes accountability for living conditions, food and payment provided to seasonal workers.
Death in the sugarcane fields
One of the Brazilian companies certified to supply aviation fuel is Usina Coruripe. In 2022, 18 workers were rescued from conditions akin to slavery on sugarcane plantations exclusively supplying the company in Minas Gerais. A federal inspection revealed that these workers, hired through a subcontractor, were housed 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the fields where they worked, in precarious accommodation without drinkable water or beds.
According to inspectors, they spent six hours a day commuting, and one woman, who also cared for her child after work, slept only four hours per night. Workers had to purchase their food and living necessities themselves. “We ate eggs, sausages, whatever was cheapest,” said one worker, who left the job before the inspection.
One worker injured his heel during planting and died two weeks later from septic shock caused by an infection. Workers claimed he was wearing a pair of boots salvaged from the trash. To save costs, many reportedly reused protective equipment multiple times, contrary to legal requirements mandating employers to provide such items for free.
Although the labor was recruited by a contractor without formal ties to Usina Coruripe, auditors held the company responsible for the slave labor case. The company has denied the allegations, stating it seeks to annul the citations in court. It also noted that a Federal Police inquiry concluded there was no evidence of such practices by Usina Coruripe.
In 2024, Usina Coruripe obtained the ISCC Corsia Plus certification, which is mandatory to access the aviation fuel market. The certification prohibits forced labor and illegal salary deductions for “protective equipment and accommodation.” These standards apply not only to the mills but also to their subcontractors.
The ISCC Corsia Plus program did not respond to contact attempts by Repórter Brasil. LanzaJet, which uses the certification as a supplier approval criterion, stated it maintains a “robust business conduct code across its supply chain,” including human rights audits conducted annually by external agents.
More abuse cases
Another plant granted certification, in October 2023, was BP Bunge Bioenergia, a joint venture between agribusiness giant Bunge and British Petroleum (BP). Seven months earlier, 212 workers had been rescued from conditions resembling slavery on sugarcane plantations supplying the company in Minas Gerais and Goiás, marking the largest rescue of enslaved workers that year.
Federal inspectors reported that most workers, who were migrants, bore the costs of travel, lodging and food themselves, in violation of labor laws. Living conditions were described as precarious, with leaking roofs, no showers and walls that were dirty, damp and moldy. Days before the rescue, some workers were reportedly exposed to pesticides sprayed by airplanes, resulting in symptoms like itching, vomiting and headaches.
BP Bunge Bioenergia, recently renamed BP Bioenergia after Bunge exited the business, was also accused of manipulating data and not cooperating with investigations into a 2021 fire in a sugarcane field that engulfed a bus carrying 15 workers, killing three. The company stated it compensated rescued workers and adjusted planting processes following the incident. Regarding the fire, it claimed to have supported affected workers and collaborated with authorities.
The way ahead
Lívia Miraglia, a law professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, noted that outsourcing introduces intermediaries in the supply chain who lack the financial and technological capacity of the mills. “Combined with the increased poverty during the pandemic, this has led to a significant return of precarious labor conditions in sugarcane fields,” said Miraglia, who also coordinates a legal aid clinic for victims of slave labor.
Union leaders advocate for stronger dialogue between mills and worker representatives to mitigate the effects of outsourcing. Paulo Célio de Jesus, president of the Federation of Rural Salaried Workers of Goiás, mentioned that some companies now require subcontractors to sign collective agreements with unions, ensuring minimum conditions for housing and other necessities. “If all companies were like this, the work environment would be much better,” he said.
Despite the high standards required by certifications, Gustavo Ferroni, formerly of Oxfam Brazil and now with Freedom Fund, highlighted flaws in their implementation. He argued that there is “minimal effort by certifiers” and called for more than just reactive audits and passive responses to problems.
Cian Delaney, campaign coordinator at Transport & Environment, which promotes sustainable transportation in Europe, stated that governments must ensure sufficient resources for regulatory institutions. “Offloading the responsibility of monitoring the market to independent certification schemes like ISCC is not enough,” he concluded.
