ESG

Lawyer Explores Mandatory BHR Due Diligence Trend

August 14, 2019

Business and human rights (BHR) attorney Alison Berthet outlines the growth of a global legislative and regulatory movement to impose legal requirements on corporations to perform “human rights due diligence” to address BHR impacts in their global supply chains.
Study Shows Rising Investor Concerns on Rights, Climate

August 01, 2019

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a recent study by the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia shows a mismatch between the decisions of “ethical” investment managers and the expectations of retail investors in accounting for climate and human rights impacts.
“Call to Action” Seeks SDG Cooperation Between EU, Industry

August 01, 2019

Nongovernmental organization CSR Europe is touting its role in a CEO "call to action" pushing the newly selected heads of EU institutions to work with European businesses to fulfill the comprehensive social and environmental targets contained in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Beverage Companies Plan Withdrawal from Plastics Association

July 26, 2019

Greenpeace USA is touting its role in successfully pressuring Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to end their memberships in the Plastics Industry Association, which the nongovernmental activist organization says engages in “secretive lobbying against plastic bans.”
NGO Ranks Indonesian Companies on BHR Compliance

July 26, 2019

The Foundation for International Human Rights Reporting Standards recently analyzed corporate progress on implementing global business and human rights (BHR) principles in Indonesia and ranked 100 public companies in the country on their respect for the BHR agenda.
GRI Studies Impacts of Corporate Reporting on SDGs

July 26, 2019

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is partnering with global power company Enel to study how business reporting on their contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can encourage them to embrace the SDGs’ comprehensive social and environmental targets in their operations.
UN Platforms Push Businesses to Adopt “Green” Agenda

July 25, 2019

The UN Environment Programme and its partners are pushing businesses to ensure their operations comply with the UN’s environmental agenda by launching a Green Industry Platform and Green Finance Platform that will serve as hubs for data and guidance on environmentally friendly corporate standards and finance.
Paper Seeks Pressure on Small Businesses for “Sustainability”

July 25, 2019

Sarah Burch of the Centre for International Governance Innovation has published a paper calling for the Canadian government to put pressure on small businesses to “foster sustainability” in their operations to help achieve the goals of the UN’s Paris climate accord.
NGOs Publish Draft US Legislation Requiring Rights Reporting

July 24, 2019

A coalition of nongovernmental organizations has published a discussion draft of US legislation that would require companies to perform an annual assessment of the human rights impacts of their operations and supply chains and report the results to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
US Senate Bill Demands Corporate Climate Reporting

July 24, 2019

CNBC reports that US Senator Elizabeth Warren has reintroduced a bill that would require every public US company to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission on its exposure to the negative impacts of global warming.