WAYZATA, MINNESOTA, US — Cargill said claims made about deforestation and human rights violations by an activist group were “grossly mischaracterized.”

“At Cargill, we have an unwavering commitment to protect the human rights of those who work in our operations, supply chains and communities, and work tirelessly to eliminate deforestation in South America,” Cargill said in response. “We do not source soy from farmers who clear land illegally and have controls in place to prevent non-compliant product from entering our supply chain.”

Stand.earth released a report on June 14 saying the company did not follow through on commitments to end deforestation and human rights abuse. It said Cargill has invested in ports and other infrastructure in South America that will lead to the removal of forests to grow soybeans. It also said the company did not follow through with commitments in 2001 and 2010 to end or reduce forced child labor in the cocoa industry.

Cargill said when it finds any violations of its Human Rights Policy or Policy on Forests, it takes immediate action, which has included suspending suppliers.

The company said it is transparent in sharing its progress on land use and human rights and has published several documents showing its milestones and actions in these regards.

Its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report is published each October and shared publicly, and its soy report, which is audited by outside third-party certification bodies, is also available.

Cargill also signed onto the agriculture sector roadmap at COP 27.