http://www.business-humanrights.org Tracking the positive and negative impact of over 4000 companies worldwide. en-gb Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:25:36 +0100 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:25:36 +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/157652 El Gobierno espanol propondra al resto de socios europeos que destinen el 0,6 por ciento de su Producto Interior Bruto (PIB) a ayuda al desarrollo en 2010, anuncio hoy el ministro de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperacion...[Moratinos] aposto por desarrollar alianzas entre el sector publico y el privado para luchar contra la pobreza. A su juicio, hay que "exigir" a las empresas un "mayor" esfuerzo en la lucha contra la pobreza y puso como ejemplo de alianza entre ambos sectores la colaboracion entre el Gobierno espanol y la fundacion de Bill Gates para la lucha contra la malaria en Mozambique y que proximamente se extendera a otros paises del Africa occidental. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:16:40 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/157652 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/359355 The [United Nations Human Rights] Council extended the SRSG's mandate for another three years, asking him to operationalize the framework [proposed by the SRSG in his final report under a 2005 mandate] in order to provide concrete guidance to States and businesses. The framework has also been endorsed by...business associations and by...human rights organizations. A new consensus...has formed. The policy framework comprises three core principles: the State duty to protect...the corporate responsibility to respect...and the need for greater access by victims to effective remedies...[According to his new mandate, the SRSG] has already begun background research on major policy challenges...He is planning several regional consultations and expert workshops. He has convened a Leadership Group comprising eminent individuals from different sectors and regions of the world...the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will organize...a two-day consultation...including representatives of victims of corporate-related rights abuse. In the interest of transparency, the SRSG is posting this preliminary work plan for the new, operational phase of the mandate. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:51:59 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/359355 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/292060 About 450 people have fallen ill in southern China after drinking contaminated water, the Xinhua state news agency says. Four of the sickhave arsenic poisoning. Industrial waste from a metal company has been blamedAccording to local government officials, torrential rain caused waste water containing arsenic from the Jinhai Metallurgy Chemical company to overflow and pollute nearby ponds and wells. The company - a branch of the state-owned Liuzhou China Tin Company - was closed after the contamination was discovered. Xinhua said the local government and the company had agreed to share the medical costs of the villagers. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:40:43 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/292060 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/578257 Presente en el III Forum Social de las Americas, el Tribunal Permanente de los Pueblos realiza una audiencia especial en la cual juzgara...transnacionales y a grupos economicos que actuan en America Central...El veredicto final del Tribunal sera presentado en la Asamblea de los Pueblos...Los casos a ser presentados se dan en las mas diversas areas: en los servicios publicos donde se juzgara a la Union Fenosa (Guatemala); en la cuestion ambiental con la incidencia de los agrotoxicos, le toca el turno a Negamon (Nicaragua y Honduras) y el Grupos Pellas (Nicaragua); en mineria, se juzgara a Holcim Cementos Progreso (Guatemala) y Cementera Lafarge (Honduras); por su parte en el area industrial a Varias ETN (Costa Rica) se las juzgara por la industria de la pina (anana) y a la Calvo (El Salvador) por la industria pesquera. El panel de los jueces del Tribunal Permanente de los Pueblos estara compuesto por Marcelo Ferreira (Argentina), Blanca Chancosa (Ecuador) y Edgardo Leander (Venezuela). Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:12:06 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/578257 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/595786 Environmental campaigners have warned of the reputational risksfor German energy giant RWE following the announcement that it has been chosen as strategic investor for the Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) in Bulgaria. Belene NPP is situated in a zone of high seismic activity Environmental organisations across Europe consider Belene to be one of the most dangerous nuclear projects currently on the drawing board in EuropeAlbena Simeonova, from the Bulgarian NGO coalition BelenNE, said: RWE and the Bulgarian government are playing Russian roulette with the health and safety of millions of people.Heffa Schucking [of German environmental organisation urgewald, said] To date, more than a dozen banks have declined financing [Belene] and NGOs throughout Europe are determined to campaign against any financial institution that gets involved in this project. [also refers to NEK] Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:46:57 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/595786 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/630555 The trial of nine people in Ivory Coast accused of involvement in the dumping of 500 tons of chemical waste around the port of Abidjan has been suspended. Five defence lawyers walked out in protest at the fact that no one from the Dutch firm Trafigura which transported the waste was in court. The UN says that the chemical waste caused the deaths of 16 people... The administrator of Trafigura's local company Puma Energy, N'Zi Kablan, was asked to appear as a witness, but according to the testimony of a policeman he left the country for Ghana several days before the trial opened. [also refers to Tommy] Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/630555 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/898405 At least one person was killed when police in Guinea cleared protesters from a railway carrying bauxite for Russian aluminium company RUSAL, police and industry sources said on Friday... Local residents demanding mains electricity and regular running water supplies blocked the railway... Although Guinea is the world's top exporter of bauxite, the ore used to make aluminium, most Guineans live in extreme poverty despite the country's mineral riches. [also refers to Compagnie des Bauxites de Kindia (CBK) (part of Rusal)] Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/898405 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/389027 U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday that major pharmaceutical firms promised to invest more on researching treatments for the AIDS virus and diagnostic procedures for poorer regions. The companies also agreed to invest more in prevention, including vaccines and pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, Ban said in a statement issued after he met with top executives at pharmaceutical and diagnostic firms... The senior executives Ban and other U.N. officials met with were from 17 companies, including Abbott Labs, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer... Ban said the companies agreed to "invest further in research and development of new HIV-related medicines adapted to resource-limited settings..." -- in other words, to try to make drugs available to people in poor environments. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/389027 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/667997 Somali pirates have accused European firms of dumping toxic waste off the Somali coast and are demanding an $8m ransom for the return of a Ukrainian ship they captured, saying the money will go towards cleaning up the waste... Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy for Somalia confirmed to Al Jazeera the world body has "reliable information" that European and Asian companies are dumping toxic waste, including nuclear waste, off the Somali coastline... Ould-Abdallah...[said] the practice helps fuel the 18-year-old civil war in Somalia as companies are paying Somali government ministers to dump their waste... Ould-Abdallah said piracy will not prevent waste dumping. "The intentions of these pirates are not concerned with protecting their environment," he said. [refers to alleged 1992 contracts between Somali militia leader and companies Achair Partners, Progresso] Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/667997 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/864801 Last year, a wonderful organization called Men's Resources International was considering a gender violence training in Rwanda and we offered to pay for three coffee farmers to participate... Our idea was that if the trainings were a success and useful in the eyes of the farmers, then we would fund a full training for farmers from COOPAC, the cooperative we purchase from... After the training, I received a letter signed by the farmers stating that the work was life changing, and asking me to make it available to more farmers in Rwanda... So, over a long weekend in September...MRI facilitated an experiential workshop for fifteen men and fifteen women from COOPAC, exploring gender-based violence in their lives... Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:57:33 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/864801 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/178183 Des militants de Greenpeace se sont menottes au volant de voitures allemandes samedi au Mondial de l'Automobile pour protester contre les constructeurs allemands qu'ils accusent de "saboter la legislation sur le CO2 des voitures"... Une cinquantaine d'activistes ont pris part a la manifestation sur les stands Audi [partie de Volkswagen], Volkswagen, Mercedes [partie de Daimler] et BMW... Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:24:33 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/178183 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/610106 The Sun...[has] forced coffee giant Starbucks to stop pouring precious water away. Our exposure yesterday of the firm's crackpot policy of keeping taps running continually at its shops sparked outrage and headlines worldwide... [Green] campaigners and hygiene inspectors slammed the company, which finally agreed to turn off the taps after crisis meetings yesterday. A spokeswoman said: We are working as a priority on alternative solutions. We recognize the opportunity exists to reduce our water usage.... Starbucks ordered staff to keep the taps running yesterday while experts advise them on an alternative system. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:35:05 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/610106 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/554355 A U.S. court saidEcuador's government did not have to enter arbitration with Chevron Corp over an estimated liability of up to $16 billion stemming from oil waste pits in the Amazon rainforest. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found Chevron's claim that Ecuador must submit to arbitration over who was responsible for any environmental damage to be "without merit". In an ongoing suit in Ecuador, locals charge that Chevron's Texaco unit damaged their health by dumping billions of gallons of oil-laden water. Texacodenies its operations affected the health of Amazon communities. The company argues it was released from liability because it paidfor an environmental clean-up in the 1990s, and blames Petroecuador for much of the pollution. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:01:48 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/554355 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/486762 En aout, le Centre de Ressources du Travail et des Droits de l'Homme...a demande a trois compagnies israeliennes de repondre a un rapport d'une organisation israelienne non-gouvernementale qui protestait contre le traitement fait aux travailleurs palestiniens dans les parcs industriels des colonies de Cisjordanie...Parmi les entreprises dont les pratiques de travail ont ete critiquees dans le rapport de Kav LaOved se trouve la Royalnight, une manufacture de textile appartenant a Royalife...Les parures de draps, dessus de lit, couvertures matelassees et les oreillers decoratifs de Royalnight sont exportes et commercialises aux Etats-Unis et en Europe. Selon...Kav LaOved, les travailleurs palestiniens...doivent travailler dans des conditions sanitaires et de securite miserables dans l'usine textile de Royalnight...Royalnight a repondu..."Toutes ces plaintes ne sont pas correctes..."...La tres mauvaise situation economique fait que beaucoup de Palestiniens soient forces de chercher du travail dans les colonies illegales israeliennes, ou ils sont vulnerables a l'exploitation....[mentionne egalement Barkan Wineries] Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:12:46 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/486762 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/726466 Business people and federal government representatives including the Brazilian First Lady, Marisa Leticia met on Wednesday (Sept. 18) to discuss strategies for fighting child sexual exploitation...the Chairperson of the Brazilian Communications Enterprise (EBC), Ms. Teresa Crunivel, together with a representative of Rede Globo, undertook the commitment of broadcasting educational campaigns on television in relation to the theme. It was also agreed a comprehensive use of companies' websites not only to promote World Congress III but also to provide explanations on the theme and details of awareness-raising corporate initiatives... explained the Under-Secretary for the Promotion of the Rights of the Child and Adolescent at the Special Secretariat for Human Rights (SEDH), Ms. Carmen Oliveira. The event was attended by around 53 business figures. [also refers to Vale] Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:00:40 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/726466 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/457161 Ethix is a leading consulting firm helping institutional investors and asset managers to integrate environmental, social and governance issues into the investment process...and provides company research and screening according to a number of different criteria...Ethix analysts Weidacher and Fruchart talk[:]...What are the guiding principles for screening companies?...[We use] existing initiatives and guidelines...UN Global Compact, the OECD Guidelines...the Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations...UN resolutions...Regarding the Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, there are a number of UN resolutions that address the situation...Therefore, we assess companies that provide infrastructure. We also look at companies that supply mechanised vehicles to destroy Palestinian homes...Veolia and Alstom...participate in the light rail project in Jerusalem...The light rail runs also in East Jerusalem, which is occupied territory. So Veolia and Alstom's involvement in this project does not meet international standards...The Israeli light rail on occupied Palestinian land is a violation of international law...Let us be clear that the construction of the light rail in West Jerusalem is not disputed. If the companies withdraw from the light rail project in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, it would in that case no longer be involved in an offence of UN resolutions. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:37:37 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/457161 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/977047 Starbucks Corp. has settled a National Labor Relations Board complaint with an employee who said he was fired this summer for promoting union activityErik Formanclaimed he was fired for encouraging workers to join the Industrial Workers of the World unionStarbucks then reversed its decision and hired Forman back in August, saying the initial firing was "ill-considered." Starbucks, though, said Forman's firing had nothing to do with his activity in the union. "We view this settlement of the NLRB charge as confirming the steps we already took to make things right in this situation," Starbucks said in a statement...Under the terms of the settlement, Starbucks will post a notice in Forman's store for 60 days informing workers they have a right to unionize under federal law Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:30:14 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/977047 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/335187 72 current and former female employees who became pregnant while working at Bloomberg LPclaim the company discriminated against them by decreasing their pay, demoting them, and excluding them from other employment opportunities after they became pregnantThe EEOC [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] filed suit against the company last year72 have joined the class and that number could riseA call for comment from Mr. Bloomberg was not returned. A spokesperson for Bloomberg LP said that the company could not comment on the details of the suit but added "we're confident that once all of the facts emerge, they will demonstrate that the claims are without merit." Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:29:05 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/335187 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/344736 South Africa's biggest miners union said on Wednesday 5,000 members would stay away from work at AngloGold Ashanti's TauTona mine on Thursday to mark the death of a colleague who died last week. The NUM has been putting pressure on mining companies to take action to prevent workers' deaths. Since last year, when a miner dies, union members at the mine stop work for one day to mark the death and to urge the company to improve safety. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:27:31 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/344736 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/498036 Yesterday, Judge Kimba Wood of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York set a trial date of February 9, 2009 for a human rights and racketeering case against the Royal Dutch Shell company (Shell) and the head of its Nigerian operation, Brian Anderson. The case was first filed in 1996. The judge rejected Shell's attempt to file additional legal motions to postpone a trial date...Wiwa v. Royal Dutch Petroleum and Wiwa v. Anderson are two lawsuits filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and co-counsel from EarthRights International on behalf of relatives of murdered activists who were fighting for human rights and environmental justice in Nigeria...The defendants are charged with complicity in human rights abuses against the Ogoni people in Nigeria, including summary execution, crimes against humanity, torture, inhumane treatment, arbitrary arrest, wrongful death, assault and battery, and infliction of emotional distress. The cases were brought under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) and the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:54:04 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/498036 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/851627 El retraso en la ejecucion de la Autorizacion Ambiental Integrada de[la fabrica de Fertiberia en Huelva] y otra de la empresa Foretha provocado que la Comision Europea inicie un procedimiento de infraccion contra Espana. Europa acusa al Estado de permitir que estas dos instalaciones esten desarrollando su actividad "sin disponer de una Autorizacion Ambiental Integrada (AAI) emitida en el plazo fijado", explico ayer el comisario de Medio Ambiente...La AAI es un certificado obligatorio por la legislacion europea que impone limites de emisiones (atmosfera, aguas, ruidos, residuos, suelos...) para cada instalacionFuentes de Greenpeaceapuntan a que, de verificarse las irregularidades, podria darse una sancion economica. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:51:19 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/851627 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/205576 On Saturday 1 November [2008] the LCIL [Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at the University of Cambridge] will be hosting a seminar on corporate complicity in human rights violations...The seminar is free and is open to attendance by representatives from multinational corporations as well as civil society and academics. In order to register for the seminar please contact Miss Vuyelwa Kuuya vk264@cam.ac.uk or 01223 748988 by the 14th of October, places are limited. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:32:38 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/205576 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/182511 The Steering Committee for the human rights impact assessment (HRIA) of Goldcorp Inc.'s operations in Guatemala announced today the selection of On Common Ground Consultants to conduct the Assessment and International Alert to serve as the peer reviewer. The Steering Committee also announced that it has established a website on which documents relevant to the Assessment are posted (www.hria-guatemala.com). It will be regularly updated throughout the Assessment process. The Steering Committee directing the assessment process is made up of a company representative, a representative of investor groups and a Guatemalan representative. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:13:39 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/182511 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/833848 In its global quest for commodities, China relies on laborers -- from hand diggers in Katanga to iron ore miners in Peru -- who work in unsafe, unsanitary and sometimes lethal conditions. [refers to Gecamines, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Nokia, Sony, Samsung, Chambishi Nonferrous Mines, Shougang, CNPC, Congo Dong Fang, Katanga Mining, South China Mining, Feza Mining, Congolaise des Mines et de Developpement (part of Gecamines), DGI Intl, Cota Mining, Societe pour le Traitement du Terril de Lubumbashi (STL - joint venture OM Group, Forrest Group & Gecamines) - includes comments by companies] Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:43:51 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/833848 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/107069 The Foreign Office has written to Lloyd's of London chairman Lord Levene to outline its disapproval that Lloyd's brokers are trading with the Burmese military dictatorship. The letter has forced Levene to write to the insurance market's managing agents last week 'urging them to consider' their involvement with the repressive regimeLloyd's has historically been involved in Burma, despite international boycotts. Its syndicates reinsure the junta's aviation and shipping interestsWithout Lloyd's, campaigners believe the repressive regime would be in economic turmoil. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:25:36 +0100 http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/107069