After a mixed but mostly disappointing response from businesses to questions about the human rights implications of their work on Saudi Arabia’s Neom megacity, ALQST today urged them to engage urgently and much more seriously with the issues raised in its recently published report, The Dark Side of Neom...

The three companies that have responded so far – McKinsey, Air Products and Keller – merely gave generic replies and failed to substantially engage. Air Products even made the unsubstantiated claim that its presence in Saudi Arabia “gives us an ability to make a positive contribution and a meaningful difference”. 

ALQST thanks the companies that did reply, but calls for more substantive responses, and urges the other nine companies to engage and respond as a matter of urgency. 

Meanwhile, ALQST has been contacted directly by a number of other companies involved or considering involvement in Neom, who have expressed concern about the violations on the ground and sought advice. ALQST greatly welcomes such dialogue...