Business and Human Rights: a resource website |
General business & human rights: 1 Jan. 2002 to present |
See also other materials on "General business & human rights"
2003:
Analysis: Can human rights become part of mainstream purchasing processes? - Hilary Sutcliffe outlines the key obstacles to the adoption of human rights as a principle in purchasing processes. (Hilary Sutcliffe, Director of Shared View, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 25 Apr. 2003)
Globalisation seen as a boost to corporate social responsibility in Asia [regarding study by Nottingham University International Centre for CSR] (Business Times [Malaysia], 11 Apr. 2003)
Corporations as Good Global Citizens - Governments have to encourage better corporate behavior at home and abroad -...Some of the world's most prominent firms have been sued in American, Australian, Canadian, Belgian, and British courts for allegedly aiding and abetting human rights violations by governments of developing countries. Other stakeholders have used proxy fights, consumer boycotts, or public pressure to ensure that multinationals adopt corporate social responsibility strategies...Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Canada are doing the most to promote global corporate social responsibility. [refers to UK and Netherlands governments promoting OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; refers to Canada's standards for ethical procurement by the government] (Susan Ariel Aaronson & James Reeves, Global CSR Policies Project at Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, Kenan Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, in YaleGlobal, 8 Apr. 2003)
First ever Human Rights Checklist for Business launched - As US firms and others line up for the post-war fruits of Iraq reconstruction contracts, Amnesty International launches today (7 April) the first ever human rights checklist for companies. The new booklet summarises existing international law, treaties and codes on human rights relevant to business, and will help those in the bidding for contracts in Iraq ensure they do not become guilty of human rights abuses during the critical rebuilding period. The six-page Amnesty International publication, The Human Rights Responsibilities of Companies, is a quick and easy guide to implementing human rights policies. (Amnesty International UK, 7 Apr. 2003)
Does Business Ethics Pay? - Ethical commitment leads to business success, new study finds - New research by the Institute of Business Ethics... has shown for the first time that companies with a clear commitment to ethical conduct outperform those which do not. (Institute of Business Ethics, 3 Apr. 2003)
Analysis: Social and environmental responsibility does pay off - Recent research indicates that corporate responsibility plays an important part in increasing and preserving shareholder value, writes Marc Epstein and Karen Schnietz (Marc J. Epstein & Karen E. Schnietz, professors at Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 3 Apr. 2003)
CEOs Advocate Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability at Conference - The Forum for Corporate Conscience calls on CEOs and corporations to promote triple bottom line performance. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 19 Mar. 2003)
The launch of the UK Corporate Responsibility Index - Toby Kent reports from the launch of the BitC [Business in the Community] Corporate Responsibility Index, highlighting its main components and the major issues it raises. (Toby Kent, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 14 Mar. 2003)
{···français} Notation sociale - Vigeo en ordre de marche, le capital constitué - Vigeo, l'agence de notation sociale et environnementale, annonce mercredi qu'elle est désormais opérationnelle et qu'elle a bouclé son tour de table. (Reuters, 12 mars 2003)
When does protest work? Leading campaigners and experts told The Observer what made campaigning effective - and how companies needed to ensure that corporate accountability was not simply a PR exercise if they wanted to protect their brands and reputations. [refers to Shell, ExxonMobil/Esso, Nestle, Unity Trust Bank, Co-operative Bank, Cobbetts solicitors, Enron, Rio Tinto] (Lola Okolosie, Observer [UK], 2 Mar. 2003)
Let's hear it for the boycott - Direct consumer action is more effective than ever, writes Faisal Islam. But big business is hitting back (Faisal Islam, Observer [UK], 2 Mar. 2003)
Capitalism Must Develop More of a Conscience -...Business has to work hand in hand with governments and civil society in employing its capabilities and its know-how in the fight against poverty, AIDS and all the other issues on the global agenda that undermine the dignity of life and threaten our very existence. (Klaus Schwab, President of World Economic Forum, in Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2003)
"Human Rights and Corporate Accountability" (speech by Mary Robinson, Director of the Ethical Globalization Initiative, former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, at The Fund for Peace - Human Rights and Business Roundtable, 19 Feb. 2003)
Analysis: Premier Oil and Burma – who are the real winners? Alex Blyth looks at the story of Premier Oil and its controversial corporate responsibility programme in Burma (Alex Blyth, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 18 Feb. 2003)
Indictment Text Shows China's Political Use of Subversion - The text of the indictment of Chinese labor activists Yao Fuxin and Xiao Yunliang illustrates how China continues to use the elastic crime of "subversion" as a weapon against leaders of movements that criticize the state (Human Rights Watch, 14 Feb. 2003)
"Human Rights and Ethical Globalization" -...On this occasion my intention is to consider how, by using the language and tools of international human rights, we can shape a more ethical globalization...there is increasing recognition that if fundamental rights are to be implemented it is essential to ensure that obligations fall where power is exercised, whether it is in the local village, the corporate board room or in the international meeting rooms of the WTO, the World Bank or the IMF...discussion is only now beginning on the fundamental question of how to ensure equitable access to life saving drugs...I hope, through my new work, to engage the major pharmaceutical companies in addressing these issues from a human rights perspective. (lecture by Mary Robinson, Director of the Ethical Globalization Initiative, former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, at Stanford University, 12 Feb. 2003)
GLOBALIZE THIS! Respect for human rights. -...So we are not opposed to globalisation but we cannot accept a globalisation that dooms more than a billion people to lives of deprivation incompatible with basic human dignity. Why worry so much about expanding investment opportunities and so little about globalising respect for human rights? Why is all the attention on binding rules for trade disputes, and so little on international accountability in relation to states' human rights obligations?...For too long corporations operating globally have exploited weaknesses in national laws and have been party to human rights violations with impunity. International human rights law is part of the solution to corporate accountability and to the creation of a global regulatory framework that allows for a globalisation consistent with freedom and dignity. (speech by Paul Hoffman, Chair of Amnesty International, to World Social Forum, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 25 Jan. 2003)
A global right to know - A new report by a coalition of environmental, labor and human rights groups...argues for an international right to know...they want large companies that are traded on U.S. stock exchanges and have significant international operations to be required to disclose information that could affect the communities in which they operate...The idea of an international right to know is a creative new approach, and for the companies a not particularly burdensome one. (New York Times, in International Herald Tribune, 24 Jan. 2003)Irene Khan's [Amnesty International Secretary-General Irene Khan] Speech at the World Economic Forum, Davos -...We will now campaign for legal accountability of corporations for human rights under international law...Of course, companies tell us we should trust them, that their voluntary principles will do the trick. But in reality it took violence and unrest around oil pipelines and oil installations in Nigeria, Colombia and Indonesia to bring oil companies in the US, UK and now Norway and the Netherlands to endorse voluntary principles for the use of security forces in the extractive industry. It was fear of a consumer boycott and concerted effort by NGOs that led governments and industry to put in place the Kimberly process for international certification of diamonds so that conflict diamonds could be eradicated. Voluntary codes are important but Amnesty International is convinced that voluntarism alone is not enough. (Irene Khan, Secretary-General, Amnesty International, speech delivered to the World Economic Forum, Davos, 23 Jan. 2003)
Business and Human Rights: Towards legal accountability - Properly understood, international law in this area would complement - not replace - enforcement at national level. International human rights standards would provide a benchmark against which national legal systems could be assessed....the UN, governments and companies should support the work of the UN Sub-Commission (the expert body referred to above) to agree draft Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations. This text ought to be agreed in the near future...Amnesty International believes that the United Nations needs to put in place a mechanism that would allow for public scrutiny of companies' human rights performance. (David Petrasek, Senior Director of Policy, Amnesty International, speech delivered to "Public Eye on Davos" conference, 23 Jan. 2003)
press release: Coalition Tells World Economic Forum: Building Trust Requires Disclosure - New Report Highlights U.S. Multinationals' Shameful Human Rights, Environmental and Labor Records - a coalition of environmental, development, labor and human rights groups today released a joint report entitled "International Right to Know: Empowering Communities Through Corporate Transparency." The report documents the irresponsible environmental, labor and human rights practices committed by ExxonMobil, Nike, McDonald's, Unocal, Doe Run, Freeport McMoRan and Newmont Mining. (AFL-CIO, Amnesty International USA, EarthRights International, Friends of the Earth-US, Global Exchange, Oxfam America, Sierra Club, Working Group on Community Right to Know, 22 Jan. 2003)
Open Networks, Closed Regimes: The Impact of the Internet on Authoritarian Rule -...Based on methodical assessment of evidence from these cases—China, Cuba, Singapore, Vietnam, Burma, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—the study contends that the Internet is not necessarily a threat to authoritarian regimes. (Shanthi Kalathil and Taylor C. Boas, Jan. 2003)
Participating in Governance: the Social Responsibility of Companies and NGOs -...This is a big challenge to traditional thinking about the right and proper roles of governments, companies and NGOs and to their competencies in performing them. It means accepting that the world and the power relationships between these key actors has changed. It means understanding that companies and NGOs, whether they or anyone else like it or not and whether they do so actively or passively, are participating in governance. (Chris Marsden, Chair of Amnesty International (UK) Business Group, Jan. 2003 [this article will appear in Spring 2003 edition of New Academy Review])
Defending Labor Rights: On the Barricades and In the Boardroom -...At the same time that national governments have failed to regulate the global labor practices of MNCs, international institutions have yet to acquire sufficient power and global support to do so. Legislators from time to time have considered imposing national and international legal obligations on MNCs operating in foreign countries. To date, however, these efforts have not yet proved to be fruitful. NGOs, along with labor unions, have stepped into the power vacuum to become the most conspicuous and vociferous critics of multinational corporations on labor and human rights. (Michael A. Santoro, Assistant Professor, Rutgers Business School, in Brown Journal of World Affairs, winter/spring 2003)
2002:
Comment: Government and corporate social responsibility – the democratic deficit -...Governments have a huge potential to influence corporate behaviour. Yet today it is government that has been the slowest to respond to a changed world. [refers to human rights, the need for more than voluntary initiatives] (Sir Geoffrey Chandler, Founder-Chair of Amnesty International UK Business Group and a former senior executive at Royal Dutch/Shell, in Ethical Corporation magazine, 6 Dec. 2002)
A tale of two definitions - the European Campaign for CSR - CSR Europe's five year 'CSR Olympics' is half way through. The group has produced, along with the Copenhagen Centre and the International Business Leaders Forum, a mid-term report that details some of the progress to date. Mallen Baker investigates (Mallen Baker, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 2 Dec. 2002)
The Guardian & The Observer "Business and Society: Corporate social responsibility - policy into practice" conference - London - 6 Feb. 2003 [includes sessions on human rights, environment, development, labour rights, codes of conduct, supply chain] (Guardian [UK] and Observer [UK], sponsored by National Grid Transco) [added to this site on 2 Dec. 2002]
Network promotes social conscience [New Zealand] - Socially and environmentally responsible businesses nationwide have joined forces to form a new organisation [The Sustainable Business Network] dedicated to spreading the word. (Ellen Read, New Zealand Herald, 22 Nov. 2002)
"How can publics become more engaged in ensuring corporate citizenship?" [includes reference to the shortcomings of voluntarism, and to the U.N. Sub-Commission "Draft norms on Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations & Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights"] (Sir Geoffrey Chandler, speech at Wilton Park Conference, 21 Nov. 2002)
CSR on the move - new report CSR on the move: new report gives first-time overview of Corporate Social Responsibility efforts throughout Europe (CSR Europe and Copenhagen Centre, 21 Nov. 2002)
Defining Global Business Principles: Towards a new role for investors in promoting international corporate responsibility [refers to human rights, labour issues, environmental issues; includes sections entitled "Globalisation and coporate responsibility", "Global ethical principles", "The Global Business Principles Project"] (Dr. Craig Mackenzie, Head of Investor Responsibility, Insight Investment, Nov. 2002)
IOD gags Blairite think-tank report [UK] - A furious row has erupted between Britain's most influential think-tank and the Institute of Directors (IoD) over a report which questions the commitment of business to corporate social responsibility...Among the findings are: · Only four out of 10 company boards discuss social and environmental issues, routinely or occasionally...· Eight out of 10 directors say their organisation does not publish reports on their social or environmental impact (Oliver Morgan, Observer [UK], 27 Oct. 2002)
Comment: The Ethical Edge - The next significant social responsibility screen may be one that identifies the corporations that aid terrorism (Jon Entine, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 12 Sep. 2002)
Shifting the Sustainability Dialogue from Values to Value - A recent Ecos Corporation discussion paper advocates integrating the social and environmental considerations of sustainability into the financial bottom line. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 4 Sep. 2002)
Businesses clash with green groups - The World Summit on Sustainable Development has rekindled the war of words between big business and advocates of environmental and social change...Business leaders argue that the first responsibility of a publicly listed company is to make money for its shareholders. To rationalise that goal with good intentions on environmental issues, companies have to be convinced that it makes sense in terms of share price and dividends. (CNN, 27 Aug. 2002)
includes section entitled "Towards binding corporate accountability"
also includes the following case studies:
- Peru: Manhattan Minerals (Tambogrande gold mine)
- Malaysia: Malaysian timber companies (logging in Sarawak - affecting indigenous peoples)
- South Africa: Sasol, Total, Dow Chemicals (pollution of poor communities)
- Russia/Lithuania: Lukoil (Baltic sea drilling)
- Papua New Guinea: BHP Billiton (OK Tedi mine)
- Chad/Cameroon: ExxonMobil, Chevron, Petronas (Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline)
- Ecuador: AGIP, Alberta Energy, Occidental Petroleum, Perez Companc, Repsol-YPF, Techint (oil pipeline, affecting indigenous peoples)
- Czech Republic: Ford, Nemak (car plant on agricultural land)
- Nigeria: Shell (environmental justice issues in Niger Delta)
- Chile: Noranda (aluminium plant)
- Worldwide: Aventis, Monsanto (genetically modified food)
- Colombia: Occidental Petroleum (oil extraction on land of U'wa people)
- Australia: Barrick Gold (gold mine, affecting indigenous peoples)
- Brazil: Petrobas, El Paso Energy (gas pipeline, affecting indigenous peoples)
- Indonesia: Asia Pulp & Paper (logging of rainforests)
- Chile: Nutreco (salmon farms)
- Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey: BP (Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline)
- Malta: Ax Holdings, Carlson Companies, Regent Hotels (golf course on agricultural land)
- Australia: Nihon Unipac (clearcutting Goolengook Forest)
- Norway: Bayer, Monsanto, Kanegafuchi (Norwegian sea pollution)
- Indonesia: Rio Tinto (gold mine, affecting indigenous peoples)
- UK: Scott's Company (peat extraction for compost)
Freedom Makes All the Difference [refers to World Summit on Sustainable Development] -...We can even question the general strategy of defining sustainable development only in terms of fulfillment of needs, rather than using the broader perspective of enhancing human freedoms on a sustainable basis... Indeed, it is not at all obvious why the enhancing of democratic freedoms should not figure among the central demands of sustainable development. Not only are these freedoms important in themselves, but they can contribute to other types of freedoms. (Amartya Sen, Master of Trinity College - Cambridge, Nobel laureate [economics], in Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2002)
Shredded Ideals at Business Ethics -...Business Ethics is a magazine devoted to a movement that crusades for what it calls CSR, which stands for "corporate social responsibility."...Now, the folks at Business Ethics are in a sad state of hand-wringing, soul-searching and existential angst. The general tone is summed up in the headline and subhead of a column by contributing writer Milton Moskowitz: "What Has CSR Really Accomplished? Much of the movement has been a public relations smoke screen."...Equally cynical and depressed is the editor of Business Ethics, Marjorie Kelly. "The lesson," Kelly writes, "is that all the things CSR has been measuring and fighting for and applauding may be colossally beside the point." The corporate social responsibility movement considered Enron a great company, she writes: "It won a spot for three years on the list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for. . . . It had great policies on climate change, human rights and (yes indeed) anti-corruption. Its CEO gave speeches at ethics conferences." (Peter Carlson, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2002)
Let the Word Go Forth from Hershey, Pennsylvania That Americans Believe That Corporate Rights Come with Corporate Obligations -...I suggest 28 words be added to the duty of corporations to advance the interests of shareholders--28 words that will balance the pursuit of the corporation's private interest with obligations to the public interest. I call these words the Code for Corporate Citizenship. The Code would simply modify the duty to maximize profits with affirmative obligations that profits not come "at the expense of the environment, human rights, the public health or safety, the dignity of employees or the welfare of our communities." Companies that violate the Code would be legally liable to the members of the public whose interest is damaged. (Robert Hinkley, corporate lawyer, former partner in the New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, speech to Hershey Foods rally on 3 Aug. 2002, published on CommonDreams website 5 Aug. 2002)
Human Rights and the Responsibility of Companies (ING Sustainable Growth Fund, Aug. 2002)
Social Responsibility and the Mechanical Bull: The International Chamber of Commerce Dresses for Success [commentary on the 34th World Congress of the International Chamber of Commerce, May 2002] -...This lack of definition and emphasis on 'voluntary' initiatives clearly suits the public relations objectives of corporations, which want to create a feel-good aura for themselves while simultaneously avoiding any specific, verifiable commitments that might constrain their behaviour...ICC's own rationale for good behaviour avoids any statements on ethics or universal human rights. Its pamphlet states, "ICC applauds the primacy accorded to human rights by the United Nations; however, the making and enforcement of laws for protecting human rights are tasks for governments." Instead of morality, ICC argues that profits are the driving consideration that will motivate companies to behave well. (Laura Miller, PR Watch, in Corporate Europe Observer, Aug. 2002)
What the CEOs think - How do chief executives view the debate about corporate social responsibility? Is it largely a public relations exercise, and how relevant is it to the bottom line? These questions, asked of more than 1,100 chief executives from 33 countries in PwC's recent Global CEO Survey...Just over half the CEOs disagreed that all that was entailed was well managed "spin". Of these, 26 per cent felt strongly that corporate social responsibility had to have substance. Yet 28 per cent of respondents saw some merit in the argument that this is predominantly a PR issue (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 24 July 2002)
Private sector and human rights (World Civil Society Forum, 17 July 2002)
Groundbreaking Report Challenges Conventional Wisdom on Role of Business in Emerging Markets -...A report published today overturns conventional wisdom by showing that it does pay for businesses in emerging markets to pursue a wider role on environmental and social issues. (International Finance Corporation, SustainAbility, Ethos Institute of Brazil, 17 July 2002)
US must tackle the problems of business accountability - President George W. Bush's address to the nation about corporate responsibility presents an unprecedented opportunity for all of us - those in business as well as those who are affected by it - to identify how we want companies to provide economic, social and environmental value to our society. True corporate responsibility entails putting policies and practices in place that deal with the impact of business decision-making on everyone not just investors. (letter to editor from Robert Dunn, Chief Executive, Business for Social Responsibility, in Financial Times, 11 July 2002)
Corporate Community Involvement is Growing, Says Report -...According to the report, the declining role of the state in addressing social issues in many countries has placed more responsibility on the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. (GreenBiz.com, 2 July 2002)
28 Words to Redefine Corporate Duties: The Proposal for a Code for Corporate Citizenship (Robert Hinkley, corporate lawyer, former partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, in Multinational Monitor, July-Aug. 2002)
Corporate influence (New Internationalist magazine, July 2002)
Guidelines for Civil Society Advocacy on Human Rights and Corporate Behavior (Jorge Daniel Taillant, CEDHA - Center for Human Rights and Environment, July 2002)
Beyond Good Deeds: Case Studies and a New Policy Agenda for Corporate Accountability [coverage includes oil industry & high tech industry; environment; pollution & its impact on human health; health & safety in the workplace; labour rights; security arrangements & human rights abuses; supply chain; codes of conduct; legal accountability; case studies on: Nigeria - Chevron & Shell; Azerbaijan & Kazakhstan - Unocal & Chevron; Ecuador - Occidental; Peru - Shell; Taiwan - Shengli Chemical Co.; Thailand - Seagate Technology, Advanced Micro Devices, Read-Rite, IBM, Lucent Technology, Hana Microelectronics, Philips; India; Malaysia - Seagate Technology, Agilent Technologies, Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, Dell, Fairchild Semiconductor, Integrated Device Technology, Iomega, Knowles Electronics, KOMAG USA, Linear Semiconductor, MCMS, Motorola Technology, Quantum Peripherals, Solectron Technology, Xircom Operations; Costa Rica - Intel, Romic; California] (Michelle Leighton, Naomi Roht-Arriaza & Lyuba Zarsky, California Global Corporate Accountability Project, July 2002)
Promoting Corporate Social Responsibility Abroad: The Human Rights and Democracy Perspective (Lorne W. Craner, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights & Labor, 18 June 2002)
United Nations Reports on Growing Importance of Partnerships with Business - "Building Partnerships" Book Shows How UN System, Private Sector and Civil Society Are Working Together on Range of Critical Global Issues (U.N. Global Compact, 14 June 2002)
Human rights and accountability -...At the World Economic Forum, I was given a prominent role on various panels with business leaders who were keen to hear about human rights. At the same time, there were demonstrations outside and I'm sure there were Amnesty people in those demonstrations. We didn't see a contradiction, because we felt there was room for both ways of approaching business. We find the oil companies in Europe more open to dialogue than those in the US. Amnesty USA has been trying to have a dialogue with ExxonMobil on their human rights practices for some time and has made no headway, so they bought some shares and went into their recent AGM and tried to put pressure on that way. (comments by Irene Khan, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, in article by Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 13 June 2002)
New bill calls for corporate responsibility [UK] - A broad coalition of human rights, environment and development organisations today launched a private members Bill to demand greater social and environmental accountability from business. The bill is being tabled by Linda Perham, MP, and is backed by Amnesty International (UK), Friends of the Earth, the New Economics Foundation, Save the Children (UK) and CAFOD. The legislation has been drafted as a response to the failure of the voluntary approach to corporate responsibility (Friends of the Earth, 12 June 2002)
The rapid rise of a new responsibility [regarding problems companies are having in integrating corporate social responsibility into the workforce] [refers to how Gap & Nike developed expertise on human rights and labour issues] (Sarah Murray, Financial Times, 11 June 2002)
Comment: Human rights are not just for oil and mining companies - Human rights are an essential part of any corporate responsibility programme....[T]he UK’s Human Rights Act...seeks to create a new culture of rights and responsibilities in the UK. (Dr. Kathy Sutton, Brunswick Group Limited, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 3 June 2002)
Global Compact Business Guide for Conflict Impact Assessment and Risk Management [includes sections on impact assessments for: human rights, humanitarian law, labour, environment] (U.N. Global Compact, June 2002)
Comment - Simon Zadek discusses where companies should look for the business case for integrating responsible social and environmental policies (Simon Zadek, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 22 May 2002)
Book Review: Corporate Irresponsibility - George Washington University law professor and corporate governance expert blames immoral corporate behavior on imperative to maximize stockholder profit [review of Corporate Irresponsibility: America's Newest Export, by Professor Lawrence Mitchell] (Willliam Baue, SocialFunds.com, 20 May 2002)
Corporate ideals 'manipulated' - The concept of corporate social responsibility is in danger of being hijacked by cynical companies wanting to use it purely for public relations purposes, an industry leader warned last night. (Terry Macalister, Guardian [UK], 15 May 2002)
The fake persuaders: Corporations are inventing people to rubbish their opponents on the internet - While, in the past, companies have created fake citizens' groups to campaign in favour of trashing forests or polluting rivers, now they create fake citizens. [refers to Monsanto and the Bivings Group] (George Monbiot, Guardian [UK], 14 May 2002)
Alexander challenges business [UK]: "Social responsibility must not be just skin deep" - New Government report on corporate social responsibility sets way forward - Douglas Alexander today issued the challenge to business that it can no longer afford to ignore the impact they have on their immediate and larger community. Mr Alexander, Minister for Corporate Social Responsibility, today published the Government's second annual CSR report. (Department of Trade and Industry, UK Government, 14 May 2002)
"Beyond Good Intentions: Corporate Citizenship for a New Century" - RSA World Leaders Lecture - Mary Robinson, United Nations High Comissioner for Human Rights - London -...the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, an expert body of the inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights, is in the process of developing human rights principles for companies under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other universally accepted norms. (Mary Robinson, U.N. High Comissioner for Human Rights, 7 May 2002)
{···español} Empresarios centroamericanos debatirán su responsabilidad social - Dirigentes empresariales de Centroamérica y el Caribe se reunirán en San Salvador los días 15 y 16 de mayo para analizar la importancia de aplicar normas de responsabilidad social en las empresas. (ACAN-EFE, La Prensa [Nicaragua], 2 mayo 2002)
Let's Not Fool Each Other with the Business Case - The moral argument for doing good should be reason enough for companies to behave responsibly, argues Sir Geoffrey Chandler (Sir Geoffrey Chandler, founder chair of Amnesty International Business Group between 1991 and 2001, and former senior executive with the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, in Ethical Performance, May 2002)
Leadership Example: Novo Nordisk: Integrating CSR Into Business Operations - Novo Nordisk [pharmaceutical company based in Denmark] is dedicated to the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach to sustainability - balancing social and environmental responsibility with economic viability. Their approach began with addressing environmental issues; bioethics, human rights and access to health care in developing countries followed in succession. (BSR Magazine, Business for Social Responsibility, May 2002)
Creating the Tipping Point towards Corporate Responsibility: Reflections on Meeting Expectations in the Global Economy [examines U.N. Global Compact] (Sandra Waddock, Boston College Carroll School of Management, University of Notre Dame, 21-23 Apr. 2002)
Local NGOs in emerging economies - a vital community link (Miles Dodd, visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Business, Nihon University, Tokyo, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 21 Apr. 2002)
Lifting the corporate veil - A legally binding convention that is enforceable in practice needs to be formulated to ensure proper multinational accountability, capturing the supply-chain, not just subsidiaries. This convention must be applied internationally and, in a development of international law, apply to corporations as well as states. (Richard Meeran, British attorney who acted successfully for South African asbestosis victims against Cape Plc, in Mail & Guardian [South Africa], 19 Apr. 2002)
Enforcing compliance with human rights codes [refers to lawsuits against companies for alleged human rights abuses; the issue of holding parent companies responsible for the conduct of subsidiaries; the growing pressure for unambiguous and binding international legal obligations on companies concerning human rights] (Roger Cowe, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 19 Apr. 2002)
The corporatist manifesto -...People have forgotten that thanks to capitalism, life expectancy is up, infant mortality is down, education is richer, horizons are broader, environmental awareness is greater, global co-operation is possible and that capitalism is the reason we can offer reliable social welfare provision on a mass scale. (Steve Hilton, co-founder of Good Business, a London-based consulting group that advises companies on how they can help their business by helping society, in Financial Times, 18 Apr. 2002)
Letter: From the International Business Leaders Forum [responding to 15 Mar. 2002 commentary by "Janus" which criticised aspects of "A Geography of Corporate Risk", published by International Business Leaders Forum and Amnesty International UK] (Lucy Amis, Business and Human Rights Programme Manager, International Business Leaders Forum, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 18 Apr. 2002)
Social values to drive tomorrow's companies - UN: Tomorrow's companies will have to pay more attention to social and environmental values in an economic shift that will create major new business opportunities as well as pitfalls, according to a new report released at the United Nations yesterday. (Irwin Arieff, Reuters, 4 Apr. 2002)
- {···français} Les tendances mondiales remodèlent la stratégie des entreprises et les marchés: Pour survivre et prospérer dans le contexte actuel d’économie mondiale, les entreprises doivent réagir aux grandes tendances sociales et environnementales qui remodèlent les marchés. (Programme des Nations Unies pour l’environnement, World Business Council for Sustainable Development et World Resources Institute, 3 avril 2002)
Invitation to Comment on Draft Version of the 2002 Guidelines - The GRI is pleased to release the Draft Version of the 2002 GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for public review and comment....This 1 April 2002 posting marks the beginning of the public comment period that will end on 26 May 2002. [scroll down to end of page to download the draft 2002 guidelines] (Global Reporting Initiative, 1 Apr. 2002)
Business and Human Rights: Policy commitments and disclosure in the extractive sector [A comparison of policies and practices on human rights issues from seven multinational extractive companies: BG, BP, BHP Billiton, BOC, Premier Oil, Rio Tinto, Shell] (Lucy Amis & Dave Prescott, International Business Leaders Forum, Apr. 2002)
Businesses are called to account: A new initiative should make it possible to compare companies' impact on society and the environment - Next week in New York an extraordinary coalition of companies, governments and pressure groups will launch an ambitious attempt to harmonise the way businesses report their impact on society and the environment. The Global Reporting Initiative hopes to break through the fog surrounding "green" and ethical accounting and bring transparency and comparability to this fledgling form of corporate disclosure. If it works, it could become the international standard for non-financial reporting. (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 28 Mar. 2002)
Response to Janus' column on risk mapping (Sir Geoffrey Chandler, Founder-Chair Amnesty International UK Business Group 1991-2001, and former senior executive Royal Dutch/Shell Group, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 27 Mar. 2002)
Hypocrisy at its best! Robert Rubenstein lets off some steam at aspects of the corporate responsibility industry [refers to Société Générale de Belgique, Euronext, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations] (Robert Rubenstein, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 20 Mar. 2002)
{···français} Faire contribuer l'entreprise à "l'intérêt général": Le "socialement responsable" est à la mode. les participants à la deuxième table ronde ont confronté réalité et démarche marketing (Le Monde, 18 mars 2002)
New French Law Mandates Corporate Social and Environmental Reporting: French social and environmental rating agency offered both kudos and criticism for a new law requiring French companies to disclose social and environmental performance. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 14 Mar. 2002)
Corporate legal accountability and human rights - beyond voluntarism (David Petrasek, Research Director, International Council on Human Rights Policy, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 8 Mar. 2002)
Interview with Simon Zadek, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility [regarding the concept of third generation corporate citizenship and the current problems with social and financial auditing] (Ethical Corporation Magazine, 6 Mar. 2002)
Why Nike has broken into a sweat: The sports equipment maker has been a target for anti-sweatshop campaigners. It has responded with self-criticism, says Michael Skapinker...Nike's experience provides a vivid illustration of the perils facing companies that believe they can ignore the efforts of campaigning organisations (Michael Skapinker, Financial Times, 6 Mar. 2002)
All mouth, no trousers? - The challenges of reporting corporate responsibility (Matthew Grenier, Strategic Director at Hoop Associates, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 5 Mar. 2002)
Global firms challenged to push human rights: America's global corporations should be doing more to promote rights in the countries where they do business, one of the [Bush] administration's human-rights leaders [Paula Dobriansky, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs] said Monday. (R.C. Longworth, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2002)
Does caring boost the bottom line? Businesses are under increasing pressure to embrace community concerns. Michael Skapinker and Alison Maitland begin a four-part series by examining whether ethics and environmentalism are just a PR exercise or whether they can help improve profits (Michael Skapinker and Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 5 Mar. 2002)
Release of the [U.S. State Department] Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001 (introduction by Secretary of State Colin Powell; briefing and question-answer by Assistant Secretary Craner, Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; 4 Mar. 2002)
A White Book or Black List for TNCs? In December every year, The Financial Times...publishes a list of the world's most respected transnational companies (TNCs)...I believe that in order to bring justice to such a list, we should also ask TNCs about their social policy and their social behaviour...I have a suggestion to make to the Financial Times and the company which made the top TNCs' list, PriceWaterhouse: Let's do a black list together for next December. (Marcello Malentacchi, General Secretary, International Metalworkers' Federation, 4 Mar. 2002)
Whose Business? A Handbook on Corporate Responsibility for Human Rights and the Environment -...Produced primarily for use by North American educators, students, and activists...The central theme of this handbook is that the institutions and regulatory frameworks now governing the global economy have not adequately protected human rights, the environment, and labor rights. (California Global Corporate Accountability Project, Mar. 2002)
Mounting pressure for a global law for multi-national corporations (Chris Albertyn, Groundwork Newsletter, Groundwork: Environmental Justice Action in Southern Africa, Mar. 2002)
Global Reporting Initiative to be officially inaugurated at United Nations Headquarters: A Milestone for Corporate Disclosure, Transparency and Sustainability Reporting (Global Reporting Initiative, 28 Feb. 2002)
The role of corporate social responsibility in managing reputation (Michael Regester, Regester Larkin Ltd, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 25 Feb. 2002)
Pin-Striped Protesters: Activists are learning to work the capitalist system -...A cultural revolution is underway as protesters in pinstripes figure out how to work the capitalist system. To learn the new language, Greenpeace in Australia sent its corporate campaigner to a 10-week strategy course for company directors, and Friends of the Earth can now draft shareholder resolutions...Amnesty International last week released a global map of 34 countries accused of human-rights abuses, and warned that 129 multinationals working in those nations put their reputation, and their share price, at risk. (Karen Lowry Miller, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2002){···français} Transparence sociale et environnementale au menu des sociétés françaises - Les sociétés françaises cotées devront faire preuve de transparence à partir de 2003 en ce qui concerne les conséquences sociales, territoriales et environnementales de leurs activités, en les faisant figurer dans leurs rapports annuels au même titre que les informations financières. (AFP, in Le Monde, 22 Feb. 2002)
Moving beyond the voluntary code: HUMAN RIGHTS: Self-regulation for international business is the norm when it comes to rights. But a new study says this is slowly giving way to legal obligations [article about new report: Beyond Voluntarism: Human rights and the developing international legal obligations of companies, prepared by International Council on Human Rights Policy] (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 18 Feb. 2002)
Blowing the Whistle: At Enron, all the signs were that the company cared about corporate ethics. In July 2000 the firm issued a code of ethics and Lay sent a memo ordering all employees to read the 61-page booklet and sign a certificate of compliance. Additionally, the company liked to stress its commitment to "RICE" -- respect, integrity, communication and excellence. The words were printed on T-shirts, on paperweights and on signs posted around the company. Yet there was another side to Enron's culture (Caroline E. Mayer and Amy Joyce, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2002)
The European Response to Public Demands for Global Corporate Responsibility:...NPA studied policies developed in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the European Union, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Europeans have sprung ahead of the United States in fostering an environment that has led to a plethora of innovative public policies. (Susan Ariel Aaronson & James Reeves, National Policy Association, 5 Feb. 2002)
Citizen CEO: The WEF's Corporate Moguls Debate Their Role as Unelected World Leaders (Lenora Todaro, Village Voice [New York], 5 Feb. 2002)
UN's Annan Warns Not to Punish Poor for Being Poor: Declaring globalization could backfire on the world economy, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned business leaders on Monday they ignored the billions of poor in the world at their peril. (Evelyn Leopold, Financial Times, 5 Feb. 2002)
Q&A: Bridging the Divide - ‘We should not be talking about profits but about people’ -...NEWSWEEK’s Jennifer Barrett spoke with Secretary-General Khan [Amnesty International Secretary-General Irene Khan] about what she hoped to achieve at the World Economic Forum meeting, and whether fellow participants were receptive to her message. (Jennifer Barrett interview of Irene Khan, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2002)
Protesters have corporate targets in their sights: Campaign leaders gathering in Porto Alegre for the World Social Forum said on Saturday that protesters should - and will - increasingly focus on large corporations. (James Harding, Financial Times, 2 Feb. 2002)
Parallel worlds reach informal accord: In a roundtable meeting in Paris last December, officials from the World Bank, the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation agreed in principle with social organisations including the World Social Forum on the need to promote "public debates on key issues of [the globalisation] conflict". (Raymond Colitt, Financial Times, 1 Feb. 2002)
Fluff is not enough - managing responsibility for corporate citizenship: Consider this company, which has been widely classified as a great corporate citizen...This company won 6 environmental awards in 2000, has widely recognized human rights, environmental, anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and climate change policies...The only small problem? You guessed it. The company is Enron (Sandra Waddock, Professor of Management at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management & Senior Research Fellow at Boston College's Center for Corporate Citizenship, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, Feb. 2002)
Interview with Paulo Costa, President & CEO, Novartis Pharmaceuticals (Ethical Corporation Magazine, Feb. 2002)
IBLF Council Meeting..."The great secret is to avoid all talk and no action – there still does remain an enormous challenge in getting more than just a superficial adoption of these ideas [of responsible business] in the business world at large" - HRH The Prince of Wales (Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, 29 Jan. 2002)
Amnesty International USA Award Remarks by BSR's Bob Dunn [CEO, Business for Social Responsibility]:..."At their worst, companies support repressive governments, rely on the military and police to secure private gain, and engage directly in the abuse of their own workers. At their best, companies can bring pressure to bear on regimes that are human rights violators, collaborate with others to promote economic and social justice, and they demonstrate respect for the rights of others wherever they do business around the world.." (Bob Dunn, CEO, Business for Social Responsibility, 28 Jan. 2002)
Greenwash + 10: The UN's Global Compact, Corporate Accountability and the Johannesburg Earth Summit [includes references to Aventis, DaimlerChrysler, Nike, Rio Tinto, Norsk Hydro, Royal Dutch/Shell, Unilever] (Kenny Bruno, CorpWatch, 24 Jan. 2002)
company website: DaimlerChrysler (DaimlerChrysler)
company website: Responsibility: labor (Nike)
company website: Norsk Hydro (Norsk Hydro)
company website (Rio Tinto):
company website: Shell (Royal Dutch/Shell)
company website: Unilever - Thermometer factory: Kodaikanal, India - 21 June 2001 (Unilever)
Enron: History of Human Rights Abuse in India - The human rights abuses that plagued the Enron Corporation's Dabhol power plant in India from 1992 to 1998 demonstrate the need for U.S. government agencies to scrutinize such controversial projects more closely, Human Rights Watch said today. (Human Rights Watch, 23 Jan. 2002)
Human Rights - is it Any of Your Business? (Richard Boele and Nicolette Boele, members of the national business team of Amnesty International Australia, in Australian Financial Review, 22 Jan. 2002)
Canadian Citizens and Investors Favor Corporate Accountability [results of poll announced by Canadian Democracy and Corporate Accountability Commission] (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 16 Jan. 2002)
New Poll Sets Agenda for Corporate Responsibility in India [findings include: Public expectations of corporations on social and environmental matters are high and rising; Gender discrimination is a prominent issue in the workplace; Workers and management have sharply diverging perceptions of labour conditions including child labour issues] (TERI-Europe [London affiliate of Tata Energy Research Institute in New Delhi] and New Academy of Business, 16 Jan. 2002)
Beyond Voluntarism: Human rights and the developing international legal obligations of companies [full report, and summary] (International Council on Human Rights Policy, Jan. 2002)
Interview with Sir Robert Wilson, Chairman, Rio Tinto [on subjects including sustainable development] (Ethical Corporation magazine, Jan. 2002)
The pressure from above: Fiona Cuthbert, analyst at Morley Fund Management, talks to Ethical Corporation about the current Burma campaign and what a collective force of £400 billion in assets can do to encourage Corporate Social Responsibility programmes in multinational companies (Ethical Corporation magazine, Jan. 2002)
BT, responsibility and the triple bottom line: Ethical Corporation magazine talks with Chris Tuppen, Head of Sustainable Development and Corporate Accountability, British Telecommunications plc about their CSR policies and reputation, customer management and HR issues (Ethical Corporation magazine, Jan. 2002)
Corporate Human Rights Obligations: In Search of Accountability -...the author arrives at the conclusion that corporate human rights obligations can indeed be derived from international human rights law. (Nicola Jägers, Utrecht University, Intersentia Publishers, 2002)