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update Corporate Legal Accountability Quarterly Update - Issue 34, March 2020: Civil society is key to environmental litigation holding companies to account
Communities and individuals across the globe whose livelihoods and natural resources are harmed or threatened by business operations are using environmental litigation as a key strategic tool to assert their human rights. The past decade has seen a steady increase in lawsuits brought directly against companies to redress climate and other environmental harm.
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update Archive of Corporate Legal Accountability Quarterly Updates
The Corporate Legal Accountability Quarterly Update (formerly Quarterly Bulletin) is published by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre to assist all those following corporate legal accountability issues. It highlights key developments, new cases profiled on our site, updates to existing profiles, and other news.
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Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 8 (Dec 2019) | Gender-Responsive Approach
A gender perspective is still missing against the backdrop of “China going out.” This is despite the Joint Communique of the second Belt and Road Forum being committed to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and fulfilling international responsibilities on human rights, including on gender. There are very few policies and initiatives relating to Chinese overseas investment that try to address environmental, social and governance issues with a gender dimension, and little research drawing on the gender impacts of China’s expanding globalization. The report by the British Council and UK Aid on “Improving Gender Equality through China’s Belt and Road Initiative” shows gaps in Chinese policies, and provides concrete recommendations for China’s government and companies to ‘mainstream’ gender in its foreign aid and investment.
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Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 7 (Aug 2019) | Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Disclosure
After decades of practice in corporate responsibility, strong evidence of business case and a growing common understanding around the world has been emerging: A company's long-term financial success goes hand in hand with its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. The examples of ESG factors are numerous and ever-shifting, covering issues from climate change, sustainable land use, resource depletion and pollution, human rights and labour standards, local community development (including indigenous communities), as well as tax avoidance. Reporting/disclosure is a vital element of the ESG practice which can help investors and companies better understand ESG-related risks and opportunities, and further, develop good investor relations and potentially reduce the cost of capital.
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Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 6 (Mar 2019) | Responsible land use, management and investment
China’s global leadership in infrastructure investment necessarily involves massive land use, as well as related impacts on land and environmental rights, traditional livelihoods, gender issues, and other related concerns. This issue on responsible land use, management, and investment highlights the potential widespread impacts on land rights of investment and trade activities, how they affect the most vulnerable areas and communities, and how they are linked to other important issues including poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and climate change.
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Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 5 (Oct 2018) | Conflict-affected & High-Risk Areas
As the global demand for goods and raw materials continues to grow due in part to economic and income growth, more and more companies have been drawn to operate in or source from resource-rich conflict-affected areas. To many companies, these are unfamiliar and complex environments where risks of serious community grievances, human rights abuse, and other unwanted consequences of doing business are high. For example, hiring poorly trained security forces could result in the use of excessive force around company assets. On top of reputational, operational, financial, and legal risks for companies and investors, results such as this amount to serious human rights abuse and could lead to exacerbated tensions and instability in affected communities. On the other hand, in these challenging contexts, responsible companies have the potential to make a meaningful contribution to lasting peace and prosperity by advancing economic development and recovery through inclusive employment and sustainable investment, and by adopting best practices in social and environmental accountability.
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Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 4 (Apr 2018) | Myanmar
China is the largest foreign investor in neighbouring Myanmar, with USD20 billion invested between 1988 and February 2018. Most of these investments are in hydropower, mining, oil & gas, and other major infrastructure projects. However, a number of large projects such as the Letpadaung copper mine, the Myitsone Dam and the Myanmar-China oil and gas pipelines have been linked to serious social & environmental concerns and have been met with local oppositions, creating uncertainties for Chinese investors and harming China’s image in the process.
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Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 3 (Jan 2018) | Responsible mining
Since the launch of the "Going Out Policy" in the beginning of the 21st century, mining has become one of the main pillars for Chinese foreign direct investments, in addition to energy. Mining can contribute to increased tax revenues and export earnings for host governments, employment opportunities for local communities, infrastructure development (especially in rural areas), and transfer of technology in countries with robust legal and regulatory systems and an enabling environment for responsible investment. However, there is also a significant risk that the extraction of mineral resources can result in environmental damage, human rights abuses, corruption, and conflicts, particularly when mining operations take place in areas where governance is weak. Governments, companies, communities and civil society are paying increasing attention to these issues. Drawing on existing international standards for responsible mineral sourcing, Chinese industry has recently been increasingly active in trying to respond to the environmental and social challenges in overseas mining by developing guidance and practical tools for Chinese companies.
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update Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 2 (Jun 2017) | Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
In 2013, China announced its plan to establish a multilateral financial institution that aims to foster sustainable economic growth, create wealth, and improve connectivity in Asia through infrastructure investment in areas such as energy, transport, and urban development. Since its establishment in 2016, the AIIB has attracted 52 member states and 25 prospective members, and approved 13 projects.
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update Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 1 (Mar 2017) | Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Despite important achievements, Chinese enterprises still face significant challenges regarding their social & environmental impacts in the process of overseas investment and cooperation, particularly in projects involving natural resource development. However there is a growing awareness of the need to adhere to international guidelines, to conduct business in a way that contributes to realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to communicate effectively with local stakeholders to prevent and respond to social risks. Conversely, viewing the host government as the sole representative of stakeholders can exacerbate conflict and social division, and lead to the extension or suspension of the project, which makes the company suffer from great economic and reputational loss.
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