Surveillance Capitalism

World Bank Announces New Swiss SDG Bonds

December 03, 2018

The World Bank recently announced the launch, in partnership with the French bank BNP Paribas, of a new series of bonds in Switzerland aimed at expanding the financing of the UN’s comprehensive social and environmental targets contained in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Governments, Businesses Launch Land-Oriented Climate Initiative

December 03, 2018

Climate activist organization WWF has applauded the launch at a recent summit of several business- and government-oriented initiatives aimed at achieving the targets of the UN’s Paris climate deal, including a business, government, and nonprofit platform called the “30x30 Challenge” seeking to ramp up action on climate issues related to land use.
World Bank Launches Sustainable Development Notes

November 30, 2018

The World Bank recently announced that, in partnership with UBS, it would issue “sustainable development notes” that would underwrite risks taken by investors financing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals in line with the principles of the UN Global Compact business network and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Activist Seeks Removal of UK Barriers to Foreign Lawsuits

November 30, 2018

In a recent article, William Meade of the Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition argues that the UK should clarify its legal regime to ensure that claimants can successfully sue parent companies in British courts for the alleged human rights violations of their subsidiaries in foreign countries.
Mattel Partners with UN on TV Show’s SDG Promotion

November 30, 2018

The Los Angeles Times reports that Mattel and the UN are engaged in a collaborative project through which UN staffers assist in creating stories for the television show “Thomas & Friends” that promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including by using “gender-sensitive language” and teaching children about the UN’s environmental agenda.
UN, NGO Coalition Launch Gender Innovation Principles

November 30, 2018

UN Women and the nonprofit and business alliance Global Innovation Coalition for Change recently launched the Gender Innovation Principles to provide a “benchmark” for businesses and other organizations on “how to include women and women’s needs throughout the innovation life cycle.”
Paper Proposes Redistributive German Climate Policy

November 29, 2018

The German Advisory Council on Global Change recently published a paper calling on the German government to pursue a “just & in-time” policy on climate change that would support lawsuits against companies to cover the costs of global warming-related damages.
UN Rights Observer Identifies Business Duties Throughout Supply Chain

November 29, 2018

As part of a statement praising electronics company Samsung for accepting an arbitration proposal from workers who fell ill after handling its products, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances Baskut Tuncak identified broad responsibilities of businesses to protect human rights “throughout the lifecycle of their products.”
Forum Pushes Business Action on Environment, Rights Issues

November 14, 2018

The inaugural New Business Forum, hosted by founder Michael Bloomberg in Singapore last week, pushed businesses to partner with governments around the world on “private-sector solutions” to global problems ranging from climate change to artificial intelligence to “supply chain threats.”
IFC Proposes Principles for “Impact Investing”

October 24, 2018

On the basis of input from businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and others, the World Bank’s private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has issued draft principles on how it plans to promote “impact investing” to create positive social and environmental change through its global activities.