China

"Our team has diligently worked to establish ourselves as reputable knowledgeable experts in business and human rights. We remain committed to being guided by international human rights standards in our work,” a statement by auditing firm Loening said.

The statement adds to cautious comments by some Volkswagen investors last week who welcomed the audit but said it could not be a one-off and should be the first of a series of steps to improve transparency in the carmaker’s supply chain in China.