Despite the odds: Businesses speaking out for human rights
...Recently, we have seen a proliferation of repressive laws and practices deployed by an increasing number of states, and an increase in the criminalisation of human rights defenders and other civil society actors. Companies’ responses are at odds with their public human rights commitments when they remain silent and do not act. However, some companies are speaking out against these actions.... [For example], in the garment sector, in January 2014, clothing companies sourcing from Cambodia, including adidas, Columbia, Gap, H&M, Inditex, Levi Strauss and Puma, condemned the government for its violent crack-down on striking garment workers....[B]usinesses clearly benefit when the rules of the game are clear; consumers are empowered, employees are respected, and the judicial system works well...[refers to Brilliant Earth, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, Google, Leber Jeweler, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Rhein-Energie, Sandvine, Tiffany & Co., Verizon, Visa, Volkswagen, Websense].