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Article

6 May 2008

Author:
[comment] John Hilary, Guardian [UK]

Dubious company - Ending poverty and winning human rights can't be left to voluntary initiatives of corporations

Today the prime minister hosts the Business Call to Action in support of the fight against global poverty. The event will showcase a range of new corporate products and services supposedly designed to help achieve the [Millennium Development Goals]... For an event aimed at convincing the public that multinational corporations have a positive contribution to make, the line-up is likely to raise a few eyebrows... In his new report on business and human rights, UN special representative John Ruggie attacks the "permissive environment for wrongful acts by companies of all kinds" which has been fostered as a result of government reliance on voluntary initiatives rather than regulation of business. He also laments government failure to take action in defence of the victims of corporate abuse. [refers to Anglo American, Bechtel, Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart]