Surveillance Capitalism

German Officials Propose Corporate “Due Diligence” Law

May 31, 2019

Lawyers at the global law firm Littler Mendelson examine a proposal from the German government to require German companies to perform “due diligence” in examining the human rights and environmental impacts of their operations and those of businesses in their global supply chains.
H&M Publishes Details of Every Clothing Supplier

May 31, 2019

Under pressure from nongovernmental organizations that wish to ramp up their scrutiny of human rights impacts in global apparel supply chains, fashion company H&M has agreed to publicly list the suppliers of every garment it sells, and now faces calls to list even more information, including the wages paid by its suppliers.
FIFA Agrees to Consult NGOs on 2022 World Cup Expansion

May 31, 2019

AP reports that, in April, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) agreed to consult with nongovernmental organizations about the human rights impacts of its decision whether to expand the 2022 World Cup tournament to Persian Gulf countries beyond Qatar.
Industry Initiative Seeks “Sustainability” in Chemical Supply Chains

May 30, 2019

The German chemical industry sustainability initiative Chemie³ has published guidance for medium-sized chemical companies on how to ensure their supply chains meet global sustainability standards.
UK Seeks “Duty of Care” for Online Content

May 30, 2019

In April, the UK government announced it would seek to impose a “legal duty of care” on internet companies to ensure the “safety” of people who use their platforms and to establish an independent office to regulate a broad variety of online content, including incitement, cyberbullying, and disinformation.
Shell Quits Lobbying Group over Climate Stance

May 30, 2019

CNN reports that energy giant Shell, facing pressure from activists criticizing oil and gas companies for failing to take action on global warming, has quit the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers lobby, which has not publicly supported the UN’s Paris climate deal and opposes taxing fossil fuel emissions.
EC Requests Study on Corporate Due Diligence Proposals

May 30, 2019

The European Commission (EC) recently requested a study from the British Institute of International and Comparative Law paving the way toward an EU-wide proposal on requiring businesses to perform due diligence on human rights and “sustainability” impacts in their supply chains.
Luxembourg Supports UN Network on SDG Finance

May 30, 2019

The Government of Luxembourg has agreed with the UN Environment Programme to fund an International Network of Financial Centres for Sustainability that seeks to funnel investments into projects aimed at achieving the comprehensive UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Corporations Participate in NGO Labor Reporting Initiative

May 30, 2019

The nongovernmental organization ShareAction, through its Workforce Disclosure Initiative, has analyzed data reported from 90 companies on their labor forces and supply chains in a push for investors to consider social impacts when deciding where to place their money.
WHO Treaty Body Supports Brazilian Tobacco Suit

May 29, 2019

A statement from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control supporting the Brazilian government’s attempt to recover money from tobacco companies for social and economic costs of their products highlights the organization’s intervention in domestic legal disputes.