Weekly Update - 19 August 2015

Guardian (UK); Caixin (China); China Dialogue; Wall Street Journal

• president & vice-chairman of the company are among 10 employees detained by authorities
• company is alleged to have "handled toxic chemicals without a licence" - it is reported to have received the required licence shortly before the explosion
• in 2012 residents protested the construction of chemical plants saying the proximity to residential areas posed risks

(Photo credit: Lucy Watson, ITV News)

Prof. Dr. Florian Wettstein, University of St. Gallen & Mauricio Lazala, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

• Guest blog: Legitimate human rights advocacy: A blueprint for business
• Despite the odds: Businesses speaking out for human rights

Lowell Chow, East Asia Researcher & Representative, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

• seeking feedback from companies, investors, civil society & policymakers
• available in English, French, Portuguese & Spanish

Free Speech for People (USA); Reuters; Global Witness

• Global Witness says decision misinterprets the First Amendment 

Tech Times (USA); USA Today

• Apple’s latest diversity report shows more than 60% increase in number of women & ethnic minorities hired by firm globally
• USA: Intel doubles its hiring of women & under-represented minorities in first half of 2015

Kilian Moote, KnowtheChain, in Triple Pundit

Microsoft, on Corporate Counsel (USA)

The Register (UK)

• article includes company comments

Amnesty Intl., National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills in the Niger Delta (NACGOND), Platform & others

New Telegraph (Nigeria) 

Associated Press

Intl. Articulation of those Affected by Vale

• we invited Vale to respond - response provided

IndustriALL

Amnesty Intl. India

• comments from Access, Myanmar ICT for Development Organization (MIDO), Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB)
• text of Draft Telecommunications Masterplan provided

Radio Free Asia

• Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) asks member companies to request Natural Fruit to drop charges
• we invited 7 US companies that buy from Natural Fruit to provide a statement - we will indicated whether they respond or not next week

UK Department for Business, Innovation & Skills; UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

• see also: Report on access to remedies in the UK for victims of corporate human rights abuses

Finnwatch

Independent (UK)

KLP

Agence France-Presse

Cihan News Agency (Turkey)

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

• opportunities & risks for ethical trade in Ethiopia & Myanmar (London, 27 Aug)
• Global Child Forum 2015 (Pretoria, 8 Sep)
• short course on human rights for business people (London, 8 Sep)
• legal workshop on business & human rights (London, 15 Sep)
• launch of Law Society business & human rights programme (London, 15 Sep) 

• China Development Brief (Deputy Director of Media & Communications, English Language Program)
• European Coalition for Corporate Justice (Internship)
• Freedom Fund (Program Officer, Legal & Business Initiatives)
• Impactt Limited (Project Officer)
• SOMO/OECD Watch (Researcher & Coordinator on Business & Human Rights)