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18 September 2019
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LEAD STORY


Activist shareholders in Australia gear up ahead of Annual General Meeting season

Sydney Morning Herald; AAP; Investor Alliance for Human Rights

  • The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) will file a resolution urging the airline Qantas to review its participation in forced deportations 
  • Shareholders proposed a resolution urging Australian supermarket Coles strengthen its policies covering modern slavery risks; if Coles accepts the resolution, it will be heard at the company's AGM in November  
  • Activists hope a resolution asking BHP to leave industry groups opposing effective action on climate change will be voted on at upcoming London & Sydney AGMs
  • Meanwhile in the US, shareholder activists filed a proposal requesting that gunmaker American Outdoor Brands develop a human rights policy
Photo credit: Kyrre Lien
See Company Responses & Non-Responses

FROM US
❗ Last Chance to Register: Mary Robinson Speaker Series | Solutions from indigenous peoples & progressive business to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy (New York, Sept 20)
Guest blog: Lesotho garment workers struck landmark deals to tackle gender-based violence. Here's how it happened 

Rola Abimourched, Libakiso Matlho, Thusoana Ntlama & Robin Runge


Updated: Policies & statements on Human Rights Defenders & civic freedoms by companies & investors

New in our blog series Reflections on the Revised Draft Treaty:

INTERNATIONAL


Millions to show support for climate justice in Global Climate Strike on Sept 20; over 100 companies to participate

Fortune; Fast Company; Common Dreams

  • Employees at Amazon, Google & Microsoft to walk out calling for stronger climate actions by their employers
Arms companies not doing enough to prevent their products being used in potential human rights violations or war crimes, says Amnesty International
  • Amnesty asked 22 arms companies to explain how they meet their human rights responsibilties under internationally recognised standards
  • 14 companies did not respond at all; of those who did none were able to provide adequate explanations, according to the report
  • Companies approached included Airbus, Arquus, Boeing & BAE Systems 
Commentary: As world shifts towards low-carbon future, investors may increasingly turn to shareholder climate change lawsuits to protect their investments

Climate Liability News

AFRICA


S. Africa: Willowton Group agrees to assist communities affected by contamination of uMsunduzi river following spill at cooking oil factory

Ground Up (South Africa)


Kenya: Mombosa fishermen demand compensation for construction project they say will affect their livelihoods & fish breeding zones

Business Daily


Cameroon: Nyete community concerned over social & environmental impact of planned palm oil project, especially on wildlife & forestry

Cameroon-Info.Net

AMERICAS


NGOs urge Siemens & Thyssenkrupp not to provide equipment or services that support mining activities in Brazil's indigenous territories

Dachverband Kritische Aktionäre, AK Rohstoffe, BUND

  • We invited Siemens and Thyssenkrupp to respond; responses provided
USA: 145 CEOs from country's largest companies urge Senators to pass stronger gun control laws, including expansion of background checks

NBC News


Honduras: Report documents alleged criminal corporate activity in country's energy sector & links with businessman allegedly behind murder of Berta Cáceres

DPLF; GHRC; International Platform Against Impunity; Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation

ASIA & PACIFIC


Papua New Guinea: Ramu Nickel apologises & commits to compensation after spilling 200,000 litres of toxic slurry into Basamuk Bay

ABC


Pakistan: Seven years after major factory fire, labour groups warn conditions for garment workers remain unsafe & call for worker-led safety programme

Clean Clothes Campaign, International Labor Rights Forum, Labour Education Foundation, National Trade Union Federation & Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research

  • The 2012 fire at the Ali Enterprises factory killed more than 250 workers
Lawyers & trade unionists in the ASEAN region agree to develop guidelines on freedom of association of workers 

International Commission of Jurists


China: Food delivery drivers denounce underpayment & dangerous working conditions

China Labour Bulletin; The Nation (USA)


Japan: Two men sue employers for allegedly punishing them with pay cuts & demotions for taking paternity leave

New York Times

EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA


Turkey: Union members at glass factory on strike over long-term intimidation of workers & union-busting tactics by the Okan Group

IndustriALL

  • Okan Group allegedly dismissed 80 members of staff, including officially nominated union representatives, for their union membership
  • We invited the Okan Group to respond; it did not
Switzerland: Companies clarify their position on letter sent to Swiss Parliament criticising proposed human rights due diligence legislation

Bucher Industries, Bühler & 17 others

  • We invited the 19 signees to clarify their position on the letter & legislation
  • SwissHoldings & economiesuisse responded on behalf of the signees; Nestlé, LafargeHolcim, Sonova and Swiss Re responded with additional information
  • In its response, Nestlé stated that "appropriate legislation could provide further incentives for companies to address their potential impacts on human rights and the environment"
European Coalition for Corporate Justice publishes comparative legal analysis of human rights due diligence & corporate liability laws in Europe

UK: NGO demands school uniform supplier Trutex publish list of its supplier factories

Labour Behind the Label; Trutex

  • Trutex responded to the petition & stated that they had no legal obligation to publish the factories they source from & that doing so would represent a commercial risk

MIDDLE EAST & N. AFRICA


UN Human Rights expert urges Qatar to protect migrant workers & improve access to justice for workers facing exploitation & abuse

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Non-responses

ANNOUNCEMENTS


US State Department calls for feedback on draft guidance for export of surveillance technology (Deadline 4 Oct)

UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee invites inputs on opportunities & challenges of new & emerging digital technologies on rights (deadline 18 Oct)  

EVENTS

  • Teaching Business and Human Rights Forum (12-13 Sep, Essex)
  • Binding Treaty Indaba (18-19 Sep, Johannesburg)
  • Innovations in Social Impact Measurement Symposium (19 Sep, San Francisco)
  • Peace, Security & Climate Change (19 Sep, The Hague)
  • Mary Robinson Speaker Series (20 Sep, South Orange, New York)
  • Towards gender-sensitive implementation of extractive industries projects (24 Sep, webinar)
  • Hong Kong Protests and Corporations: Navigating through Profit, Principles and Pressure (26 Sep, Hong Kong)
  • Forum on Modern Slavery: 21st Century Solutions (27 Sep, New Jersey)
  • Introduction to Living Wage Workshop (1 Oct, Amsterdam)
Details of these & other future events can be found here. Please send relevant event information to Maja Janjic: janjic@business-humanrights.org.

JOBS


Vacancies at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: Other vacancies:
Further details & other recently posted jobs available here. To submit a new job announcement in business & human rights please go here.
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We take no position on views by commentators, organisations & companies in the materials in this email: http://business-humanrights.org/en/about-us/disclaimer

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