Weekly Update - 18 July 2018

New York Times; Guardian (UK)

• Obama laments global market’s contribution to "the explosion in economic inequality” and calls for “inclusive capitalism” respecting workers' rights and collective bargaining, progressive taxation, and anti-corruption measures
• Highlights automation and artificial intelligence as a major new challenge 
• Calls for “fundamental re-imagining” of social & political arrangements to protect economic security & dignity

Washington Post; CNBC; The Observer

• Workers at warehouses in England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland engaged in strike 
• Concerns vary by country & include increase in hours, lack of health benefits, difficulties in establishing collective bargaining agreements
• Amazon denies allegations; comments provided

photo credit: Comisiones Obreras de Madrid

Associated Press; Crack Magazine; New Yorker

• FIFA issued commitment in support of human rights defenders & press freedom in May; this is first major test
• We invited FIFA to comment publicly on case; their response will be included in the next Weekly Update

Facing Finance

• We invited 10 extractive companies and 10 banks mentioned in the report to respond
• Responses provided by Anglo American, Barrick Gold, BHP Billiton, Eni, Glencore, Goldcorp, Rio Tinto, Vale, BNP Paribas, Barclays, Credit Agricole, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, DZ Bank, HSBC, ING, Rabobank, UBS
• Gazprom & Grupo Mexico did not respond
• Concerns are related to labour rights, environmental pollution, indigenous rights, land rights, intimidation of project opponents & violence 

Verisk Maplecroft; Guardian (UK)

• Highlights importance of consultation with communities 
• Includes spotlight modern slavery & trafficking risks in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

• Case tackles issue of parent company’s duty of care to those affected by activities of a foreign subsidiary
• Claimants allege that UK-registered parent company and its Kenyan-registered subsidiary were each liable to Kenyan employees and their families for failure to adopt adequate standards to protect them from ethnic violence

EastAfrican (Kenya)

• Working Group welcomes Kenya's preparations on its Natl. Action Plan
• Key challenges include: limited awareness of human rights among state-owned companies, need for stronger human rights due diligence, low minimum wage

Capital Business (Kenya)

• Community opposed project due to concerns about community engagement, including on use of land, relocation & compensation

Financial Times

• Article includes comments by Uber

TeleSur (Venezuela)

• We invited Cementos Progreso to respond; response provided

Associated Press, CSR Wire

• Ecuador continues to face challenges in collecting damages via foreign courts; further dismissal of efforts to do so in Argentina

ABC, SBS News (Australia)

• We invited Agri Labour Australia to respond; response provided
• Australian Govt. previously suspended company from recruiting under govt. scheme amid allegations of underpaying workers

Sixth Tone (China)
 

European Commission; Khmer Times (Cambodia)

• EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said: “Removing Cambodia from the trade scheme is a measure of last resort, if all our other efforts have failed to address these concerns.”

Climate Home; Bank Information Center Europe; Inclusive Development International

• Investment bank reportedly invested in IFC Emerging Asia Fund, which has shares in Myanmar coal-fired cement plant

Global Voices

• Baidu & Tencent comments provided

German Natl. Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights

• Final statement acknowledges need for reform of social audits in textile industry
• We invited TÜV Rheinland to respond to concerns that the company broke off the negotiations; TÜV Rheinland response provided

Guardian (UK)

Gulf News

Jordan Times

Palestinian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel

• Previous response by adidas provided

• Conference: Human Rights and Technology (24 July, Sydney)
• Webinar: Modern Slavery - Managing Risks in Global Supply Chains (25 July)
• Webinar: Business and Human Rights - what does it mean for companies and civil society organisations? (2 August)

• Danish Institute for Human Rights (Adviser for Corporate Engagement on Human Rights)
• Just Share (Responsible Investment Researcher)
• Better Work, International Labour Organization (Foundation Outreach Consultant)
• Institute for Human Rights and Business (South East Asian Consultant - Migrant Workers Programme)
• Center for Strategic and International Studies Human Rights Initiative (Program Coordinator/Research Assistant)
• Stronger Together (Expert Consultants Network)
• The International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net) (Communications Assistant)
• Poder (Fields Programs Director - Strategic Research and Community Organizing)
• Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice (Assistant Director)
• Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) (Senior Attorney)
• Advocates for International Development and the Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK) (Programme Officer)