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Weekly Update - 16 July 2014
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“Human rights website spotlights conduct of over 5600 companies”
Recent statements by UN Working Group on business & human rights:
- Working Group details applicability of UN Guiding Principles in Israeli settlements within Occupied Territories
- Working Group's statement on outcomes of 26th session of UN Human Rights Council
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ActionAid report says intl. aid & public policies facilitate corporate land grabs, leaving farmers impoverished & vulnerable
we invited firms criticised in the report to respond to allegations:
- Addax Bioenergy responded; SABMiller and Senhuile referred us to previous responses (Senhuile response only available in French)
- Diageo, Mitr Phol, LYP Group, Standard Bank did not respond
- we will indicate next week whether Daewoo Logistics, Dominion Farms, Kenya Jatropha Energy (part of Nuove Iniziative Industrali) respond
How to improve effectiveness of non-judicial grievance mechanisms for business impacts on human rights - report from expert meeting
Access Facility
Results of company survey on awareness & use of tools to implement UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
econsense & Global Compact Network Germany
- finds high level of awareness among respondents, but “scarce” practical experience
Latest additions on debate over a proposed binding global treaty on business & human rights
- FIDH calls UN vote on proposed treaty a “ray of hope” despite concerns
- Aaron Rhodes of Freedom Rights Project says proposed treaty holds out “false promise”
Latest news on National Action Plans on business & human rights:
- new draft of Spain's National Action Plan (only in Spanish)
BNP Paribas fined by US Govt. for conducting business with Sudan under embargo due to regime’s human rights abuses
Financial Times (UK)
Report on privatisation of education by global NGO coalition “highlight[s]...specific negative consequences for women and girls”
US conflict minerals law brings improvements in Dem. Rep. of Congo, say campaigners, despite slow response by firms
Reuters
- some analysts say law’s impact is overstated
NGOs concerned EU-US free trade agreement prioritises chemical industry's interests over health & environment
Center for International Environmental Law & ClientEarth
Interview with Michael Samway, founder of Yahoo!'s business & human rights programme
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
- encourages more ICT companies to build more "integrated and durable systems for anticipating and addressing human rights issues"
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Côte d'Ivoire: Fair Labor Association report on women's role in Nestlé's supply chain & risks they face
- makes recommendations to Nestlé & govt. to raise their status
- Nestlé reports how it is addressing recommendations, updates action plan to support women's lives - with video on action plan
Ghana: Workshop urges companies to implement UN Guiding Principles
VibeGhana.com
- organised by Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, NGOs
Kenya: Extractive industry urged to take steps to respect & protect women's rights
Melba K. Wasunna, Thamani Trust, on Information Centre for the Extractives Sector (Kenya)
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India: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre hosts civil society workshop in Odisha, in collaboration with Uktal University
- focus on access to remedies; workshop included visits to mining sites & a power plant in the area
Myanmar: New reports under US Responsible Investment Reporting Requirements now available
- new submission by Aberdeen Asset Management; 2nd reports by: Capital Group, Coca-Cola, Hercules Offshore, Western Union
- EIRIS Conflict Risk Network says several reports fail to provide critical information
- commentary: NGOs commend Coca-Cola's transparency
China: Children found working at Samsung supplier by NGO, journalists
New York Times; China Labor Watch
- Samsung recently reported it found no child labour in supply chain; cuts ties to supplier
- articles include statement by supplier Shinyang Electronics
Cambodia: Villagers reject Tate & Lyle Sugar’s latest offer to settle UK lawsuit
- company resigns from Bonsucro claiming lawsuit keeps them from being active in initiative
- we invited Tate & Lyle Sugar to respond - response provided
Cambodia: NGOs express disappointment over ANZ’s cutting of ties with Phnom Penh Sugar - say bank is responsible for providing adequate compensation for land confiscation victims
Oxfam Australia; Equitable Cambodia; Inclusive Development International; Cambodia Daily
- we invited ANZ to respond - response provided
India: Study shows higher procurement prices for cotton increase wages & decrease child labour
- commissioned by India Committee of Netherlands
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Middle East & North Africa |
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Company responses
Non-responses
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Business & Human Rights Resource Centre staff will participate in the 2014 London Triathlon (2 Aug) to fundraise for our charity
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Conference on Corporate Human Rights Abuses & Access to Justice, hosted by CORE Coalition and Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, in association with British Institute of Intl. and Comparative Law (London, UK 17 Jul)
Forthcoming events:
- conference on women, migration & development (London, 17-18 Jul)
- training on embedding human rights in business (London, 17 Jul)
- conference on "degrowth for ecological sustainability & social equity" (Leipzig, 2 Sep)
- corporations, global food system and human rights (Oslo, 11-12 Sep)
- embedding human rights in business (London, 17 Sep)
- Essex Transitional Justice Summer School (Essex, UK, 18 Sep)
Details of these and future events can be found here
Please send relevant event information to Sam Whannel: whannel@business-humanrights.org
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Business & Human Rights Resource Centre recruiting a Communications & Corporate Accountability Officer (deadline: 28 Aug)
Other job postings
Further details and other recently posted jobs available here
This is a free service; please send job announcements to Sam Whannel: whannel@business-humanrights.org
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