Weekly Update - 27 May 2015

Spotlight on Qatar working conditions as Fifa Presidential elections loom

• "Only a handful of construction firms in Qatar make serious efforts to improve conditions for migrant workers": Business & Human Rights Resource Centre launches first results of outreach to 24 firms - so far Aktor, Bouygues, Carillion & Vinci have responded; Besix & OHL have said they will respond
   
• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre contacts FIFA sponsors: do human rights factor in sponsorship decisions?  adidas & Coca-Cola issue statements in response; Budweiser, Gazprom, Hyundai Kia Motor, McDonald's, Visa did not respond

• labour rights groups call on sponsors to speak out over Qatar labour abuses; Coca-Cola, Visa issue statements 

• Amnesty Intl. says Qatar still failing migrant workers

(uncredited)

• commentary: "Why companies need to see climate change as a human rights issue"
• Guardian investigation alleges Shell's climate change rhetoric is not matched with sufficient action - Shell responds

European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)

Guardian (UK)

• BP says it will “vigorously” defend the claim, refutes involvement with or knowledge of the trade unionist's experience

CIDSE, FIAN Intl., FIDH, Franciscans Intl., Friends of the Earth Europe & Intl. Commission of Jurists

• report on 4th UN Forum
• report on 1st Africa Regional Forum

VICE News

• last week the generals apparently agreed to drop the charges on condition that Marques would not re-release his book that accuses them of corruption & torture
• Tiffany & Co., Leber Jeweler, and Brilliant Earth issue statements in support of Rafael Marques

Quartz (USA); Amnesty Intl.

• we invited Shell to respond - response by Shell Petroleum Development Company provided

•  UN says IFFs are "a huge drain and a hindrance in addressing the developmental needs of the African people"

News24

SOMO & Repórter Brasil

• company reportedly still not monitoring its production chain sufficiently
• we invited Zara/Inditex to respond - response provided
• some items also available in Portuguese 

EarthRights Intl.

• we invited Newmont to respond - response provided

Bloomberg

ABS-CBNnews.com; CNN Philippines; Rappler (Philippines)

• EU & ILO concerned poor work conditions may have contributed to deaths
• Philippines Govt. says Kentex workers were underpaid; company denies allegations
• Philippines labour dept. & Bureau of Fire Protection to ramp up efforts to improve factory working conditions

Dr. Gisela Burckhardt; FEMNET; Clean Clothes Campaign

• we invited Hugo Boss to respond - response provided
• also available in German

Hindu Business Line (India)

Kalyanee Mam 

Intl. Trade Union Confederation; Phnom Penh Post

Telegraph (UK); Guardian (UK); Wall Street Journal, BBC

• companies argue that forced plain packaging amounts to deprivation of valuable intellectual property
• other tobacco companies also expected to file suits
• claims could be as high as £11 billion say commentators

Tengrinews (Kazakhstan)

Guardian (UK)

Daily News (Egypt)

• says govts. "current draft prioritizes foreign investment over workers" rights

Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX)

Associação Nacional de Direitos Humanos, Pesquisa e Pós- Graduação and Business and Human Rights Resource Centre

• building climate-resilient supply chains (London, 28 May)
• supporting lawyers' implementation of UN Guiding Principles (London, 28 May)
• coaching on business & children's rights (Köln, 17-18 June; register by 29 May)
• summer school on children's rights & business (Leiden, 6-9 July; register by 1 Jun)
• course on worker's rights in a global economy (online, 1 Jun - 10 Jul)
• book launch of "Beyond Governments: Making Collective Governance Work" (Washington DC, 1 Jun)
• implementing effective worker representation in your supply chain (London, 2 Jun)
• panel: countering trafficking through business & human rights (The Hague, 2 Jun)
• farm worker justice in global supply chains (Washington DC, 3 Jun)
• "Achieving Justice & Human Rights in an era of Climate Disruption" (Waterloo, 3 Jun)

• Golden Agri-Resources (Senior Manager / Manager - Sustainability)
• International Alert (Advocacy & Communications Advisor)
• Overseas Private Investment Corporation (Director, Office of Accountability)
• Oxfam GB (Policy Adviser, Tax & Inequality)
• RepRisk (2 posts: Junior Software Engineer; Senior Software Engineer)