Weekly Update - 1 March 2017

• database of over 400 cases of attacks against activists working on corporate accountability
• positive examples of company action on civic freedoms & human rights defenders
• tools, resources, reports, case-studies & intl. standards
• in-depth interviews with human rights defender Andy Hall, and companies S Group, & adidas – more to be added

Vigeo Eiris

• finds under 4% of companies make commitments comprehensively covering human rights impacts for which they have responsibility

• additional commentaries by John Ruggie, BankTrack & other NGOs
• response by Thun Group of Banks

• how corporate tax avoidance affects human rights - Shane Darcy
• implementation of UN Guiding Principles in major sporting events - Lucy Amis
• respecting human rights in conflict regions - Andreas Graff & Andrea Iff

Khuraisha Patel & Nomonde Nyembe, Univ. of the Witwatersrand, on Peace in Progress

Upasana Khatri, OxHRH Blog

Times Live (So. Africa); Financial Times

UN; Goldman Prize Foundation

Reuters

teleSUR; statement by 280 NGOs worldwide

• we invited OceanaGold to respond - response provided

• 100 investors express continued support for requirement to disclose conflict minerals due diligence under Dodd Frank Act
• 130 investors call on banks financing DAPL pipeline to address Sioux tribe's rights citing reputational & financial risks

Democray Now

IPS

IndustriALL; Daily Star; Clean Clothes Campaign

• in unprecedented action, leading retailers withdraw from Bangladesh garment industry’s annual showcase event

Charles Hector, Syed Shahir bin Syed Mohamud, Mohd Roszeli bin Majid, Pranom Somwong via Good Electronics, with support of 54 trade unions & groups

• we invited Infineon to respond: response provided

Cambodia Daily, Reuters

China Labor Bulletin

Intl. Commission of Jurists

John G. Ruggie, Harvard Univ., former UN Special Representative on business & human rights

• also available in Russian

European Coalition on Corporate Justice; EurActiv; Friends of the Earth Intl.; Sherpa

Intl. Rescue Committee; UNHCR; Al Fanar Media

• on-going issues with work permits, legal restrictions, discrimination, informality
• to improve, compacts must account for reality of constraints & facts on the ground

Jordan Times

Western Sahara Watch

• concerns cite intl. law regarding occupied Western Sahara & lack of consultations

• side-event on private sector & civic space (1 Mar, Geneva)
• launch of multi-stakeholder engagement for Japanese NAP process (1 Mar, Tokyo)
• 2017 Global Responsible Sourcing Summit (1-2 Mar, Los Angeles)
• conflict mineral compliance & supply chain transparency (2-3 Mar, Amsterdam)
• role of human rights defenders in sustainable development (2 Mar, Geneva)
• forum: protection of Syrian refugee labour rights in Turkey (6 Mar, Hamburg) 
• Corporate Human Rights Benchmark launch (13 Mar, London)

• Center for Business & Human Rights at Stern School of Business, New York Univ. (Deputy Director)
• Coalition for Human Rights in Development (Program & Communication Associate)
• Fair Food Standards Council (2 posts: Director of Complaint Resolution; Financial Analyst)
• Intl. Code of Conduct Association (Executive Director)
• UNICEF UK (Children's Rights & Business Specialist)