Business & Human Rights

NGO Pushes for Global Rules on Labor Due Diligence

September 20, 2017

A report from the Business and Human Rights (BHR) Resource Centre calls for the development of "robust" and "harmonised" global standards for national legislation combating "various forms of modern slavery" by imposing broad BHR due diligence requirements on companies to rid their complex, global supply chains of forced labor.
NGO, UN Framework Examines "Carbon Asset Risk"

September 20, 2017

The World Resources Institute and the UN Environment Programme have produced a report examining how financial intermediaries and investors can manage "carbon asset risks," or the financial risk posed by investments in companies with a significant stake in fossil fuels, in light of expanding global action aimed at combating climate change.
UK Cracks down on Tax "Evasion" Advice

September 20, 2017

The International Bar Association has published an article explaining how the UK's Criminal Finances Act shifts the burden of proof for companies accused by the British Government of accepting financial advice facilitating "tax evasion" in the UK or overseas, requiring such companies to show they had "reasonable" procedures to mitigate the risk of evasion.
Trade Associations Promote "Sustainability" Agenda

September 19, 2017

In an op-ed, representatives from the UN-coordinated International Trade Centre and the Foreign Trade Association present initiatives from their organizations, including a "business social compliance initiative" and "trade for sustainable development" programme, seeking to persuade governments and businesses to adopt the "sustainability" agenda in their foreign trade practices.
NGO Publishes Guide on Opposing Extractive Operations

September 19, 2017

The Association for Women's Rights in Development has released a "practical guide" containing strategies for global human rights and environmental activists to oppose the operations of oil, gas, and mining companies, thereby "resisting corporate power that commodifies nature and prioritizes profit over people and the environment."