Weekly Update - 8 February 2017

• finds more than 120 people have died since 2010; includes advocates for rights affected by dams, mines, logging & agriculture
• includes recommendations for Honduran Govt., US aid & investment policy, foreign investors & intl. financial institutions
• Global Witness invited companies & actors to comment on two-year investigation
• Honduran authorities threaten Global Witness with legal action over report

(Photo credit: Global Witness)

Elodie Aba & Bobbie Sta. Maria, on Guardian (UK)

• Researcher & Representative for Jordan & Lebanon (based in Amman, deadline 9 Feb)
• Legal Research Intern (based in London, deadline 12 Feb)
• Southeast Asia Researcher & Representative (based in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila or Yangon, deadline 16 Feb)

UNI Global Union

• complaint adds to previous allegations submitted in 2013
• we invited Prosegur to respond; response provided (in Spanish)

Mega-Sporting Events Platform for Human Rights

• papers cover human rights issues in planning, construction, delivery, and legacy of mega-sporting events

• call for information on cross-border law enforcement cooperation between States & implementation of UN Guiding Principles by small & medium enterprises

Damiano de Felice, Access to Medicines Index, on Harvard Business Review

Naomi Briercliffe, Allen & Overy, on JD Supra (USA)

• diamonds companies mentioned in the report include Ahrenbäcks, Engelbert, Gemma, Guldbolaget, Iduna, Schalins Ringar & Smycka
• Engelbert & Schalins Ringar comments available; Smycka's comments addressed in report; Ahrenbäcks provided confidential comments to Swedwatch
• we invited Gemma, Guldbolaget & Iduna to respond - Gemma & Iduna did not respond; Guldbolaget declined

Oil in Uganda

Paine Eulalia Mako, on ILEIA

• we invited the 30 companies named to respond:
• statements of support from Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Glencore, Goldcorp, Kosmos Energy, Newmont Mining, Rio Tinto, Total
• 19 companies have not responded

Rights & Resources Initiative; Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

• 128 companies file legal action on travel ban
• responses to the ban by adidas, Ben & Jerry's, Chobani, Nike, Uber & others
• Vigeo Eiris upgrades its scores for Amazon, Expedia & Microsoft following their legal action
• see also: 61+ NGOs & responsible investors call on business leaders to speak out against Trump's travel restrictions at Strategic & Policy Forum

Society for Labour and Development & Südwind Institute

• we have invited C&A, H&M, Inditex, Gap, VF Corp to respond - to date C&A and H&M have responded

Reuters (USA); Financial Times; Australian Mining; Alyansa Tigil Mina

Mining Watch Canada

• we invited Barrick Gold to respond; response provided

Financial Times

Institute for Human Rights and Business

Reuters

IndustriALL

Financial Times

Jordan Times

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

• Land rights, risk & conflict in Africa (9 Feb, Dakar)
• Conference on responsible business (14 Feb, New Delhi)
• Launch of Global Witness report on Honduras (15 Feb, London)
• Webinar: UK Modern Slavery Act (16 Feb)
• Discussion: State obligations in the context of business activities (21 Feb, Geneva)

• Researcher & Representative for Jordan & Lebanon (based in Amman, deadline 9 Feb)
• Legal Research Intern (based in London, deadline 12 Feb)
• Southeast Asia Researcher & Representative (based in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila or Yangon, deadline 16 Feb)

• Ethical Trading Initiative (Senior Industrial Relations Advisor)
• twentyfifty Ltd. (2 posts: Business & Human Rights/ Responsible Sourcing Consultant & Junior Social Sustainability Consultant)
• Business for Social Responsibility (Associate for Human Rights)
• Intl. Labour Rights Forum (Corporate Accountability Program Coordinator)
• Assent Compliance (Corporate Social Responsibility Analyst)