Nestlé has decided to work with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to investigate whether children are working on cocoa farms supplying its factories. The FLA is a non-profit multi-stakeholder initiative that works with major companies to improve working conditions in their supply chains. In January the FLA will send independent experts to Côte [...]

The world’s largest reinsurer, Munich Re, has called for new climate protection initiatives. The United Nations Climate Change Conference — which began today in Durban, South Africa — may result in some progress in the second negotiating track (i.e. adaptation aid for the countries worst hit by climate change) but the reinsurer [...]

A new report by the ITUC on core labour standards in Thailand, published to coincide with the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) review of its trade policies, reveals serious violations of fundamental workers’ rights including a high degree of prevalence of forced labour. Both local suppliers and multinational enterprises such as Ford, Mazda, Michelin and [...]

Major global companies including Motorola Mobility, Deutsche Bank, Bloomberg, Method and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Co.) have procured or have pledged to procure at least 25 percent of their operations’ power consumption from wind energy. They announced their commitment to become certified under the new WindMade consumer label at a [...]

The tourism industry needs to make human rights a core part of its operations and future development if it is to be taken seriously on claims to sustainability. Campaign group Tourism Concern issued a challenge to the sector at World Travel Market last week with the launch of a briefing paper on [...]

The Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic is willing to invest in a recycling facility in Thailand, but only after the country legislates home-appliance recycling, according to company executives. “From the business perspective and strategy, we’re ready. What we are waiting for is just the country’s governing legislation on this issue,” said [...]

Nous en parlions l’été dernier : le 2 mai 2011, une véritable expédition punitive a été menée par des représentants de la police et de l’armée contre les habitants du village de Yalisika, dans le territoire de Bumba en République démocratique du Congo, en répression de la révolte menée par des villageois [...]

A new study conducted by the non-profit, non-partisan Center for Political Accountability with the Zicklin Center at University of Pennsylvania examines how major businesses spend money to influence politics. The study identified a total of 29 indicators to gauge disclosure, policies, compliance and oversight of all of the top S&P 100 companies in order to assess [...]

Une session plénière du Processus de Kimberley a autorisé mardi 1er novembre, avec “effet immédiat”, les exportations de diamants de deux sites miniers de Marange au Zimbabwe, qui avaient été suspendues à la suite de graves violations des droits de l’homme commises sur ces sites en 2008. La décision du système de certification internationale, qui [...]