ESG

U.K. Announces Corporate Reporting on Supply Chain Labor Rights

October 17, 2014

The British Government has announced the development of a bill that will require U.K. businesses to report on the steps they have taken to make their supply chains free of forced labor.
DIHR Seeks to Standardize Corporate Impact Assessments

October 15, 2014

The Danish Institute for Human Rights ("DIHR") has published a paper promoting "best practices" among businesses in performing due diligence on human rights through impact assessments of their operations and those of actors in their supply chains.
Energy Companies Agree to Methane Reporting

October 08, 2014

Under UN pressure, a group of companies in the oil and gas industry has agreed to a partnership in which they will systematically monitor and issue reports on their work to reduce methane emissions and combat global warming.
Corporations Set up Anti-Global Warming Venture

October 08, 2014

Under pressure from nongovernmental organizations to advance environmentally friendly causes, a group of multinational corporations has set up a website, which may expand into a global organization, that seeks to "activate" young people in the fight against climate change.
UN Launches Initiative to Bind Companies to Development Goals

October 08, 2014

The UN Global Compact has announced a partnership with the Global Reporting Initiative and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development to guide businesses on performing impact assessments and tailoring their operations to achieve a set of UN "sustainable development goals" to be released next year.
EU Adopts Directive on Corporate Non-financial Reporting

October 01, 2014

The Council of the EU has adopted a directive providing for the reporting of non-financial information, on human rights, environmental, and other impacts, by large corporations across the bloc, paving the way for its entering into force in 20 days.
NGOs Seek Binding EU Conflict Minerals Rules

October 01, 2014

A group of nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") have called on the European Parliament to overhaul a proposal of the European Commission in order to require a large number of European companies to investigate their supply chains and report on the use of so-called "conflict minerals" in their operations.
NGO Supports BHR Due Diligence Requirements in Switzerland

October 01, 2014

The Swiss Coalition for Corporate Justice has called on the Swiss Parliament to adopt legislation requiring companies to investigate alleged human rights violations and environmental impacts in their operations and to report to the government on their progress on these issues.
Unilever Drives Forward Human Rights Reporting Initiative

September 24, 2014

As pressure from the UN and nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") mounts on businesses to respond to international business and human rights principles, the NGO Shift has announced its partnership with the multinational company Unilever to develop a corporate reporting framework on human rights.
Businesses Make Deforestation Pledges at UN Summit

September 24, 2014

In response to UN pressure toward an international climate agenda, businesses and governments have made pledges to prevent deforestation worldwide, including 20 global food companies committing to "deforestation-free sourcing policies" of acquiring palm oil.