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5 Aug 2020

Updates from BHRRC

Our regular email updates bring you the top stories and breaking news about business and human rights, highlighting positive initiatives and drawing attention to alleged abuses.

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277 results

  • update

    Weekly Update 27 April | Rana Plaza anniversary: Calls to sign & expand International Accord

    27 Apr 2022

    30+ NGOs call on social media firms to strengthen human rights due diligence in crisis situations after analysing their responses to invasion of Ukraine; East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline ‘casting a shadow’ on TotalEnergies' green image campaign, says NGO; NGO accuses meat co. JBS of ‘greenwashing’ & calls on asset managers to divest as firm's carbon emissions increase by 54% in 5yrs; Trade unions & rights campaigners urge brands to help 1,500 garment workers at 2 Esquel factories threatened with closure; French court fines Deliveroo EUR 375,000 for hiring couriers as self-employed & not employees; 2 former directors given 12-month suspended prison sentences; Al-Qastal media co. has Facebook account suspended after coverage of al-Aqsa mosque raid & users allege Meta censors Palestinians; and much more

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    Weekly Update 20 April | Brazil: Dam-collapse communities complain re: Vale to German investors

    20 Apr 2022

    Investor voices missing in corporate exodus from Russia; Tanzanian Govt. allegedly planning to evict 70,000 Maasai Indigenous farmers for business development; Pacific Gas & Electric to pay USD55mn & submit to 5yrs' oversight to avoid prosecution for major wildfires; Brandix factory in Sri Lanka accused of ‘crackdown’ against unions & CSOs who raised concerns after 1,000 garment workers infected at ‘superspreader’ event; Qatar World Cup: Belgian national team sponsors incl. Carrefour & ING won't use tournament for "commercial purposes", citing human rights concerns; and much more

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    Weekly Update 13 April | Ukraine invasion: Renewed calls for proactive due diligence by companies with operations in Russia

    13 Apr 2022

    Activists allege Meta’s weak content moderation & double standards facilitate hate crimes; Malawian Attorney General apologises for arbitrary arrest & detention of journalist, vows Govt. will review media laws that restrict freedom of expression; NGO files lawsuit against Bumble Bee Foods over deceptive marketing claims & alleges forced labour in supply chains; Indian automotive parts co. JNS Instruments workers continue protest demanding unionisation after 130+ arrested; 26 CSOs call on oil co. Aker BP to reconsider terms of Lundin Energy acquisition due to human rights concerns; 10 Nepali migrant workers allegedly paid extortionate recruitment fees to Meridian Manpower & left stranded without jobs; and much more

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    Weekly Update 06 April | India: H&M signs binding union agreement to tackle sexual abuse

    6 Apr 2022

    Human rights defenders & business in 2021 briefing | Protecting the rights of people driving a just transition; Commentary from Ukraine | How companies operating in Ukraine could better uphold human rights following Russia’s invasion; Children allegedly working on Ghanaian farms supplying Cadbury owner Mondelēz Intl. 20+yrs after commitments to eliminate child labour; Big mining cos. allegedly lead & finance 'chain of destruction' on Indigenous lands in Brazil, says Amazon Watch and Apib report; Former ATA workers sue Dyson alleging co. was unjustly enriched by exploitative conditions at Malaysian suppliers’ factory; Labour rights violations remain systemic in European supermarket supply chains, despite broad improvements, finds Oxfam benchmark; UK Export Finance allegedly knew of labour abuses & environmental harm at Middle Eastern & African projects prior to funding; and much more

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    Weekly Update 30 March: Labour rights concerns overshadow FIFA World Cup Qatar draw

    30 Mar 2022

    Nokia allegedly helped enable Russian surveillance system; Uber, Bolt and Didi drivers in South Africa hold 3-day strike over costs & working conditions; Colombian community alleges air & water contamination caused by palm oil co. Oro Rojo remains unresolved; 103 Chinese migrant workers stranded in Sulawesi for 5+ months allege employers refused to renew work visas as project had been suspended; FinFisher ceases operations after accounts seized by German Public Prosecutor’s Office, after CSO criminal complaint alleging illegal export of surveillance software; Financial Times finds 'dozens' of cleaners employed by ADNH Compass & Farnek have paid recruitment fees; and much more

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    Weekly Update 23 March: Majority of companies operating in Russia fail to demonstrate human rights due diligence

    23 Mar 2022

    EU, US, South Africa & India agree intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines; Nigerian Delta State communities demand justice after Conoil oil spill allegedly causes outbreak of waterborne diseases in only source of drinking water; Leaked documents allegedly show Solway Group knew it was polluting Lake Izabal in Guatemala, bribed local population & threatened journalists; 1,200 former Violet Apparel workers demand USD1.4 million unpaid compensation & damages after Cambodian factory closure in July 2020; P&O Ferries sack 800 British crew members via video message, replace with migrant workers reportedly paid GBP1.81 an hour; 3 cos. granted licences to explore mining seabed minerals in Cook Islands despite CSOs & end user cos. calling for seabed mining moratorium; and much more

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    Weekly Update 16 March: 12-year global boycott of Uzbek cotton ends

    16 Mar 2022

    Indian beverage bottler cos. Moon and Varun, which bottle for Coca-Cola and Pepsi, found guilty of illegal extraction of ground water, causing environmental damage; Documentary uncovers labour exploitation & sexual abuse of local workers by Qingdao Construction Group Corporation in Lesotho; Ecuadorian Govt. grants amnesty to 268 people, primarily Indigenous defenders, criminalised & persecuted for defending their rights & territories; Taiwanese Supreme Court rules in favour of 222 former Radio Corp of America workers over exposure to cancer-causing chemicals; French Supreme Court allows NGOs to access co. documents as evidence in case against Perenco for alleged environmental & social harm in DRC; Human Rights Watch calls on FIFA to investigate World Cup contractor Bin Omran Trading & Contracting which allegedly failed to pay workers for 5 months; and much more

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    Weekly Update 09 March: Shell U-turn as pressure mounts on businesses operating in Russia over invasion of Ukraine

    9 Mar 2022

    IBM, WeWork, Samsung, Puma, Zara and many more suspend services in Russia; International Women’s Day: Our research finds women human rights defenders remain at high risk of violence, threats to their safety & judicial harassment; Facebook allegedly continue to allow users in Ethiopia to post ‘horrifying & hateful’ content inciting ethnic violence; New Honduran Govt. announces ban on open-pit mining & will begin ‘review, suspension & cancellation’ of licences & concessions; Australian construction company CIMIC accused of not paying migrant workers in Middle East hundreds of millions of dollars; incl. co. comment; Highway being built by JP Autoceste & funded by intl. investors allegedly threatens livelihoods & rights of ethnic minorities; Danish Football Association divests from Qatari investment citing human rights & environmental concerns around FIFA World Cup 2022; and much more

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