Business & human rights: Weekly Update - May 7, 2008

From the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre:Weekly Update: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre - 7 May 2008

CLICK THIS LINK FOR ALL TOP STORIES added past 7 days / Principales noticias / Articles de premier plan:
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Topstories?date=2008/05/07

Español: ver abajo - Français : voir ci-dessous

* John Ruggie sets out his 3 main reservations about recommending a treaty process on business & human rights at this time
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/875500

* UK Prime Minister convenes major companies in "Business Call to Action" to tackle world poverty
- booklet describes steps by Vodafone, Sumitomo Chemical, SAB Miller, Reuters, Microsoft, Diageo, Coca-Cola, Citi to help combat poverty
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/348922

* ActionAid report "Taxing Solutions: How tighter tax rules for big business could help end poverty"
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/336821

* Lawsuit against Occidental over pollution in Amazon to be heard in Peru, not USA
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/609167

* Indonesia: Unilever pledges to use only sustainable palm oil to halt deforestation
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/511739

* Dream for Darfur gives higher marks to Adidas, McDonald's, Kodak for publicly urging action on Darfur; poor marks to 16 other Olympic sponsors
- full report includes company responses; some companies criticise report's approach
- Coca-Cola CEO defends company's actions in Financial Times
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/DreamforDarfur2

* Former Amnesty USA Director William Schultz on business & repressive regimes
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/895750

* Africa: Consumers International calls for tougher monitoring procedures to end dumping of e-waste
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/595742

* Judith Samuelson of Aspen Institute: As "big investors" increasingly factor environmental issues, companies turn to activists for advice (in Harvard Business Review)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/322472

* Bayer response to "Toxic 100" report (further to last week's Update)
- ArcelorMittal has not responded
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/Toxic100responses-2008

* New lawsuit summary profiles provided by the Resource Centre:
- Lawsuits against Chiquita re: armed groups in Colombia
- Lawsuit against German companies re: alleged complicity in genocide of Hereros in Namibia, early 20th century
- Lawsuits against US companies for reparations re: 19th-century slavery
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/Profiles-7May2008

* Colombia: Intl. Alert report "Exploring the peace dividend" - how costs of conflict should lead to business support for peace
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/396112

* Intl. Law Assocation conference, London, 16-17 May: "Does International Law Mean Business - A Partnership for Progress?" (includes panels on human rights & lecture by John Ruggie)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/814492

* Español: Compañías de gas y petróleo carecen de transparencia en sus pagos, obstaculizando la lucha contra la pobreza (Transparencia Internacional)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/585154

* Español: Ecuador: Carrefour promueve el desarrollo de pequeños agricultores a través de su "comercio solidario"
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/254088

* Español: Perú: Estudio revela discriminación racial de andinos y negros entre la clase empresarial
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/422349

* Español: "El papel de las instituciones en la inversión socialmente responsable" (opinión del director asociado, UBS España)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/665898

* Español: México: Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos investiga "trata laboral" y "esclavitud" por parte de maquiladoras en Guanajuato
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/192530

* Español: Empresa ISA presenta los aprendizajes y retos de operar en el contexto del conflicto en Colombia
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/577755

* Español: España: Fundación ONCE denuncia que empresas no cumplen la obligación de reservar un 2% de sus plazas para personas con discapacidad
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/710767

* Français : Interventions & conclusions du Séminaire sur la Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises dans l'espace francophone - Rabat, 28 fév-1 mars 2008
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/450771

* Français : Huile de palme en Indonésie : Greenpeace salue l'appel d'Unilever pour un moratoire sur la deforestation
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/996324

* Français : Rép. Dém. du Congo : Un député martèle contre la pollution pétrolière à Moanda
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/982527

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