Response from Solway Group to Defending Rights & Realising Just Economies report
Response from Solway Investment Group to the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre’s “Defending rights and realising just economies: Human rights defenders and business (2015-2024)” report
6 May 2025
Solway Investment Group firmly rejects all allegations suggesting company involvement in attacks, threats, or acts of criminalization against human rights defenders in Guatemala. These claims are unfounded, and we respectfully request that the report specify the nature and details of the alleged “more than 30 attacks,” as no credible evidence has ever been presented linking our company or its subsidiaries to such actions.
Solway and its subsidiaries have always respected human rights. This is supported by the conclusions of an independent investigation conducted by a leading U.S. law firm specializing in human rights and legal compliance. The investigation, which reviewed multiple public allegations — including those involving Mr. Carlos Ernesto Choc — found no evidence of any involvement by Solway, CGN, or PRONICO in acts of intimidation, harassment, or threats. Moreover, CGN-PRONICO has formally withdrawn from all related legal proceedings, reaffirming our commitment to non-retaliation and freedom of expression.
Additionally, communications from UN Special Rapporteurs noted that there is no evidence confirming that the alleged intimidation of journalists actually occurred, further supporting the conclusion of non-involvement:
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=38285
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=38286
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=38088
Regarding the events at Lake Izabal in 2017, we reaffirm that CGN was not involved, as confirmed by public investigations and local media reports:
https://republica.gt/guatemala/cgn-fue-ajena-a-los-sucesos-en-el-lago-de-izabal-en-2017-20222129530
https://republica.gt/guatemala/que-causo-la-contaminacion-en-el-lago-de-izabal-en-2017--202221118220
Solway welcomes the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) and is working constructively with the Government of Guatemala to support transparent, inclusive, and legally sound consultation processes. While Solway is not a party to the case, we fully support its principles and the State’s responsibility to implement the Court’s decision. We also reaffirm our willingness to cooperate, within the framework of our legal responsibilities, in a technical and respectful manner with national authorities, to support any process that promotes truth, reparation, and the strengthening of collective rights in the region.
During the pause in operations — which was caused by erroneous sanctions — Solway undertook significant internal reforms and community engagement efforts, strengthening governance, compliance, and environmental and social responsibility across our operations. These actions reflect our continued dedication to transparency, rule of law, and sustainable development in Guatemala. Over the past years, we have worked to strengthen our communication channels, adopting an approach based on respect for Indigenous Peoples, their territories, and their forms of organization. Through our respected international human rights advisors, we have extended formal invitations to various social and community actors to engage in dialogue, build trust, and promote constructive processes. To date, we have not received a positive response from these actors.
As part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, SIG has strengthened its corporate governance system by incorporating new internal policies, training programs, and confidential grievance and whistleblow mechanisms. We are currently aligning our operations with international standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, applying due diligence processes to identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for any potential impacts, as well as internationally recognized standards.
We reaffirm our commitment to a model of responsible and transparent mining, in harmony with human rights and environmental protection. Once again, we thank you for the opportunity to present our position and respectfully request that this response be published in full alongside the corresponding report and on all related platforms