http://www.business-humanrights.org Tracking the positive and negative impact of over 4000 companies worldwide. en-gb Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:50:37 +0100 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:50:37 +0100 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Webfactory avery@business-humanrights.org avery@business-humanrights.org http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/276982 For more than 20 years, the use of environmental, social and governance criteria (ESG) has gained traction among socially responsible investors, but multiple hurdles have kept this movement from fully entering the mainstream...[In a] new report, "Environmental, Social and Governance: Moving to Mainstream Investing?" which examines how mainstream financial institutions are currently incorporating ESG criteria, the barriers that are preventing its progress - and the potential solutions to overcoming these challenges...The...five main barriers...[are]: Lack of data...Insufficient reporting of ESG data...Disparity between short-term pressure and long-term investments...Lack of capacity among investment professionals...Cynicism toward ESG... Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:24:53 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/276982 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/890676 The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is launching new guidance (www.eti-ten.org/retailers.html) to retailers on how to trade ethically. Advice ranges from...the essential ingredients of a company's ethical trading strategy...to information on accessing the ETI Workbook a step-by-step manual for companies...As well as providing information on how retailers can put ethical trade into practice...Says Julia Hawkins of ETI, The issues around ethical trading are complex but more consumers are becoming interested in how the workers who made their clothes are treated. So we've put out somenew guidance to show what consumers can do... Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:10:23 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/890676 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/277095 Three miners died on Sunday in an accident at a Siberian coal mine owned by Evraz Group..."There was an accident. Three people died," a spokesman for the Emergencies Ministry in Moscow said. "Over 70 people were inside the mine at the time of the accident. All the rest have been moved out to the surface." The ministry official said there had been "a breach of the technological process with methane involved", but he did not confirm whether or not there had been an explosion...A...spokesman for Evraz confirmed three miners had died in an accident at the mine. He gave no further details regarding the cause of the accident... Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:39:00 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/277095 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/320043 A wind power project on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southeastern Mexico has stripped massive amounts of land and natural resources from hundreds of indigenous campesinos in Oaxaca. Those affected are mostly from non-Spanish speaking indigenous communities. Members were manipulated into giving up their lands in up to 60-year tenancy contracts through misinformation[A] team of lawyershave filed a lawsuit to annul at least 185 tenancy contracts for the wind park construction by transnational companiesincluding Iberdrola, Endesa, Preneal, Gamesa and Union Fenosa[T]he companies say that they operate in Mexico backed by an agreement signed by the Federal Electricity Commission Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:13:58 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/320043 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/403177 Pluspetrol, en representacion de las empresas que conforman el Consorcio Camisea [Pluspetrol, Sonatrach y Repsol], hizo entrega a la Municipalidad Provincial de Pisco un importante lote de cocinas industriales, balones de gas y diversos equipos valorizados en 265 mil nuevos soles, que seran destinados a 75 comites del vaso de leche (Covales) y 35 comedores populares de la provincia pisquena... Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:33:41 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/403177 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/724039 La Camara de Apelaciones en lo Contencioso Administrativo de San Martin confirmo la sentencia en la accion de amparo por el dano ambiental que causo la firma Diacrom S.A., al contaminar el agua de red con sus efluentes. Asi, se desestimaron los recursos de apelacion que habia interpuesto la empresa y...la provincia de Buenos Aires. El vocero de la firma declaro: "Desde 1998 queremos remediar lo contaminado, pero nos han rechazado siempre los planes propuestos por no ser tecnicamente viables"...Con respecto al propio municipio de Vicente Lopez, la medida ordena [a la Provincia]...que controle las condiciones de salubridad de la zona...[y] conmina a la empresa al cese inmediato del uso de cromo en uno de sus procesos, y que costee el plan de resanacion ambiental. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:10:16 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/724039 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/365918 The National Environment Management Council (Nemc) has called for suspension of ongoing construction of telecommunication towers which lack in-depth research on health risks they pose to people and the environment...[Nemc director general Bonaventure] Baya [said] that since December 2007 to date, Nemc had received several complaints...against Excellent Communications...Celtel...Vodacom...Tigo. This comes amid complaints from the public living near phone towers that they are dangerous as they produce radio active rays which can cause serious diseases like cancer, and noise they produce as a result of their generators operating for 24 hours. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:50:36 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/365918 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/209045 Apres les fruits et le cafe, l'ONG americaine Rainforest Alliance certifie les plantations de the kenyanes du geant Unilever. Le label, qui sera notamment appose sur les produits Lipton, garantit pres de 200 criteres environnementaux, sociaux et economiques... Les detracteurs pretendent que les criteres qu'...impose [Rainforest Alliance] sont plus laxistes que ceux des autres labels. Faux, retorque Joke Aerts, coordinatrice europeenne du programme d'agriculture durable de Rainforest Alliance : Notre ONG audite pres de 200 criteres tous les ans , a la fois environnementaux, sociaux et economiques. [mentionne egalement Lipton & PG Tips (marques d'Unilever)] Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:05:17 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/209045 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/193184 A la veille du deuxieme anniversaire du deversement des dechets toxiques a Abidjan, et au lendemain de la visite du Rapporteur special des Nations unies sur les dechets toxiques dans la capitale ivoirienne, la FIDH et ses ligues membres en Cote d'Ivoire, la Ligue ivoirienne des droits de l'Homme (LIDHO) et le Mouvement ivoirien des droits humains (MIDH), appellent a la poursuite des responsables de la catastrophe et a la prise en compte des droits et interets des victimes. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:46:21 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/193184 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/907675 BHP Billiton Ltd (BHP) CEO Marius Kloppers Monday discounted any potential investment in mining operations such as platinum "where you structurally are expected to have fatalities." Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:28:45 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/907675 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/446724 ...[M]ining and oil companies...are now taking on projects laden with environmental and socio-political risks that they might in the past have regarded as no-go ventures. Are these companies doing enough to minimise the potential negative impacts from these projects?... This article...looks at BHP Billiton's nickel-mining interest on Gag, a tropical island off West Papua, Indonesia...[in] a joint venture...[with] Indonesian state company Antam... Gag...faces socio-political risks which potentially parallel those of [Freeport-McMoRan's mine at] Grasberg [also in West Papua]... As a minimum, the company needs to put in place the full suite of CSR approaches now accepted as best practice... [also refers to Rio Tinto] Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:10:21 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/446724 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/553436 People living in Mossville suffer from severe health problems, elevated levels of cancer-causing and hormone-disrupting chemicals, a devastated environment, and a deteriorated quality of life, all of which arise from governmental approvals of highly toxic industrial development in and around Mossville. The United States government and its political subdivisions have authorized fourteen industrial facilities to manufacture, process, store, and discharge toxic and hazardous substances in close geographic proximity to Mossville residents... [The] environmental and health agencies of the United States...have failed to adequately address this environmental health crisis that denies Mossville residents their fundamental human rights to life, health, and privacy. Furthermore, although the United States government has acknowledged the pervasive pattern of discrimination that subjects Mossville...to racially disproportionate toxic pollution burdens, the United States government has failed to protect the human right to freedom from racial discrimination.[refers to Entergy, PPG. ConocoPhillips, Georgia Gulf, Lyondell (now LyondellBasell, part of Access Industries), Sasol, Air Liquide, CertainTeed (part of Saint-Gobain), Tetra Technologies, Excel Paralubes (joint venture Flint Hills Resources [part of Koch Industries] & ConocoPhillips), PHH Monomers (joint venture Georgia Gulf & PPG Industries), Biolab Inc. (part of Chemtura)] Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/553436 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/266174 Workers at the Helam diamond mine, in the North West, live in appalling conditions. The hostels are filthy and the grounds stink of raw sewage. In short, the place can be described as unfit for human habitation. The miners are on strike...demanding higher wages, more safety measures and better living conditions. The mine...is owned by Petra Diamonds...Helam's hostels have been in existence since the establishment of the mine in 1932, and are now decrepit. The workers sleep in beds with worn-out mattresses, loose electric cables are found in many areas and open drains and sewage are common on the premises, giving out a sickening stench...Mielie meal destined for the kitchen is stored in a filthy dungeon...[Sheridan Rogers, a spokesperson for Petra] said "We have a plan in place to improve the hostel conditions, including a programme to upgrade them. Natural attrition will also help reduce the number of residents." Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:16:48 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/266174 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/622885 Federal prosecutors have sent target letters to six Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a September shooting that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead, indicating a high likelihood the Justice Department will seek to indict at least some of the men...The guards...were working as security contractors for the State Department...The shooting occurred when their convoy arrived at a busy square in central Baghdad and guards tried to stop traffic. An Iraqi government investigation concluded that the security contractors fired without provocation. Blackwater has said its personnel acted in self-defense. The sources said that any charges against the guards would likely be brought under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act...The shooting, and the perceived failure to hold anyone accountable for it, has fueled congressional dissatisfaction with the government's use of private security contractors in a combat zone. Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:24:04 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/622885 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/469064 Desde el ano 1994, la empresa...Minefinders Corporation LTD., a traves de su subsidiaria en propiedad Compania Minera Dolores S.A. de C.V. se establecio en los territorios ejidales del nucleo agrario de Huizopa, municipio de Madera, Chihuahua...[L]os beneficios sociales para la comunidad distan mucho de los prometidos...Prueba de ello es que en los ultimos anos Minefinders ha incurrido en el apoderamiento ilegal de mas hectareas de superficie territorial; que de manera unilateral removieron el centro de la poblacion ejidal sin autorizacion de la Asamblea General de Ejidatarios, y que las familias han sido hostigadas a traves de voladuras de dinamita...Por lo antes expuesto, la Primera Comision...somete a...consideracion...[lo] siguiente...exhorta...a la Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos a que realice una investigacion...exhorta al Ejecutivo Federal para que...informe sobre la presencia de elementos del Ejercito... Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:57:59 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/469064 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/637981 The chairman of Marathon Resources has made a formal apology to the owners of Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary for his company's misconduct at the site in outback South Australia. The company dumped thousands of uranium drill samples...in the sanctuary last yearchairman Peter Williams apologised to everyone who had been affected by Marathon's wrongdoing...Mr Williams said he accepted responsibility on behalf of the board for breaches in the exploration licence. He said systematic change was required in the company to change its culture towards the community and the environment...Mr Williams confident a suspension on the company's work will be lifted by the SA Government. Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:39:41 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/637981 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/619619 Socially conscious shareholders, pension funds and human rights advocates have joined together to demand that the government of Uzbekistan stop using forced child labor in its cotton harvest... U.S. and international shareholders with combined assets of over $250 billion, along with human rights advocates, sent appeals today to Uzbek President Islam A. Karimov, Director General Juan Somavia...of the International Labor Organization (ILO), and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Also today, representatives of four major textile, apparel and retail trade associations will meet with the Uzbek Ambassador to the United States to express similar concerns... Adam Kanzer, Managing Director and General Counsel at Domini Social Investments [said] "Companies are finding that it is indeed possible to trace the source of their cotton, and we believe responsible companies have an obligation to do so."... C&A, Gap Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Marks & Spencer, Target, Tesco, and Victoria's Secret [part of Limited Brands] have already taken measures to exclude Uzbek cotton from their merchandise... [also refers to Wal-Mart] Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:32:39 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/619619 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/217627 A Major Scottish investment fund [Martin Currie Investment Management] has sold its shares in [Vedanta Resources] after...coming under fire from Survival International. The campaign group is trying to block a Vedanta subsidiary, Sterlite, from mining bauxite on a mountain in eastern India seen as sacred by the 8,000 people of the Dongria Kondh tribe...Stephen Corry, director of Survival described the decision by Martin Currie as a "victory"...Scott White, director of corporate communications at Martin Currie [said]..."It is fundamental that we expect companies to behave both within the law and morallyThe doubts over the issues with the bauxite projectled to exiting the stock." [also refers to Alliance Trust, Standard Life, Barclays Bank, Abbey National and HSBC] Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:10:50 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/217627 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/795425 [Since] Gen. Omar al-Bashirattacked in Darfur, Sudanese in numbers equal to the population of Pittsburgh have been killed, and Nevada-sized numbers have fled their homes. Mr. Bashir has traded Sudan's oil to China for billions in arms and cash, and is eyeing the oil fields of south Sudan Bashir is wrenching oil from the country not by right, but by force. Which means that when China pays Bashir for Sudan's oil, China is quite literally buying stolen goodsStolen Sudanese oil percolates through China's factories, becoming part of the Chinese imports that Americans buy every day The US should immediately establish a Clean Hands Trust for the people of Sudan that the US government will fill to match the value of any oil that China buys from Bashir. The trust will be funded by duties on Chinese imports entering the US. That money will be held in trust until it can be turned over to a decent government in Sudan that respects the basic rights of all of Sudan's citizens[refers to Walmart, Costco] Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:25:38 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/795425 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/266384 In 2003, a number of leading banks launched the "Equator Principles" -- a set of common environmental and social standards for projects they financeButInstead of writing their own policiesthe Equator banks adopted the policies of the International Finance Corporation, or IFC the World Bank's private sector lending arm. The problem is, the World Bank is the wrong place to look for leadership on human rightsThe IFC and Equator banks need to fill the gaps between their policies and internationally recognized human rights standards banks need to make sure that their lending criteria are consistent with internationally recognized human rights standardsbanks needcarefully assess the human rights impacts of the projects they support. Finally, the banks also need to ensure that their borrowersare listening to those who believe that their human rights are at risk banks can face their human rights responsibilities now [or]find themselves facing those responsibilities in the courts of law and public opinion. [also refers to Chevron in Nigeria] Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:55:30 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/266384 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/703099 Thailand's new Public Health Minister, Chawarat Charnveerakul, has said that imposing compulsory licensing (CL) is the last mechanism that the government would use to help the poor get access to life-saving drugs at a fair price." "First, we have to negotiate with drug firms to reduce the price of their drugs. he will also pursue other policies to lower drug prices...[including] the new option of collaboration with other nations that operate CL policies in negotiating with the drugs' patent holders[refers to the following drug companies whose drugs are covered by CL policies: Merck, Abbott, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche, Genetech, Novartis] Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:45:40 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/703099 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/991550 Pluspetrol...was forced to shut down part of one of its natural gas lots...after Peruvian tribes invaded it over a dispute over landIndigenous rights group AIDESEP said tribes seized drilling platforms, a helicopter port and buildings in southern Peru. It also said tribes took over an electricity station and closed part of an oil duct in northern Peru. They said the protests were to demand meetings with the government over land rights."We are not against development ... but first our rights must be respected," said...the president of AIDESEP. Peru's government has encouraged oil and gas drilling nationwide, angering indigenous and environmental groups. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:51:24 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/991550 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/393125 [A] 22-year-old call centre employee lost his life on way to his office... two call centre vehicles, carrying [Aegis Communications (part of Essar Group)] employees to their Gurgaon office, were racing when the accident took place "It's a mad rush to meet shift deadlines [said another employee Ravi Kumar]As the news of the accident reached the...office, employees stopped work in protest, demanding compensation for the victim and action against the errant drivers. Aegis CEO Sudhir Agarwal said "We have learnt that the two cabs ferrying our employees were racing. We are investigating into the matter. For us, employees' safety comes first"... Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:59:44 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/393125 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/985581 A continuacion hay una nota sobre pedidos de destitucion contra Antonio Gustavo Gomez, Fiscal General ante la Camara Federal de Apelaciones de Tucuman, muy comprometido con su cargo, incluyendo investigaciones sobre la contaminacion producida por Minera Alumbrera [parte de Musto Exploration (propiedad de Goldcorp & Northern Orion Resources) & Xstrata]Realmente pocas personas hoy en dia hacen justicia como el Fiscal Gomez...Pues bien...no es extrano que a una persona que hace justicia...ahora busquen rebuscadamente destituirlo....Al Dr. Gustavo Gomez le han pedido la destitucion y ello tiene que ver con la corrupcion que hay en Tucuman...su remocion...se acelero con el procesamiento de Julian Rooney como maxima autoridad de Mina La Alumbrera por el delito de contaminacion... Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:06:50 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/985581 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/646271 A tribal chief in Indonesia's West Papua launched a campaign on Monday to get compensation from US mining giant Freeport for environmental damage to his homelands, a report said. Fabianus P., chief of the Kapiraya tribe, said tailings from Freeport's huge gold and copper mine in Indonesia's easternmost Papua province were causing more widespread ecological damage than was known, Antara news agency reported... Fabianus said he had hired lawyers to file a law suit against PT Freeport Indonesia [joint venture Freeport McMoRan, Indonesian Govt.] over the alleged environmental damage... The firm disputes the claims. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:50:37 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/646271