Surveillance Capitalism

NGO Sets out Climate Advocacy Agenda for Investors

March 05, 2018

Mindy Lubber of the nongovernmental organization Ceres highlights how the NGO is using its new Investor Agenda to push investors in its network, with over $23 trillion in assets, to adopt a broad range of policies aimed at placing pressure on corporations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with the global agenda on countering climate change.
Civil Society Coalition Criticizes Business Tax Principles

February 28, 2018

A press release from the Tax Justice Network illustrates the risks businesses face in embracing activist calls for "fair" global corporate taxation policies, criticizing as "desperately disappointing" a report on corporate taxes produced by leaders of the "B Team" business initiative for lacking ambition toward consistent standards in corporate tax reporting.
Activists Criticize Marathon Agreement on Rights Impacts

February 15, 2018

Inside Climate News reports that climate and human rights activist NGOs are criticizing as "superficial" an agreement the Marathon Petroleum Corporation, one of the stakeholders in the Dakota Access Pipeline, signed with shareholders committing to public reporting on its human rights impacts but stating that governments are ultimately responsible for protecting such rights.
Apple Shareholders Reject Creation of Rights Committee

February 14, 2018

The website AppleInsider reports that shareholders in the technology company Apple have rejected a resolution calling for the creation of a human rights committee within the company, as the business argued it would merely duplicate the efforts of its audit committee.
Church Investors Push Corporate Social, Environmental Action

February 14, 2018

The Church Investors Group, an association of pension funds for church organizations, has announced that its members will use their votes as corporate shareholders to push progressive business policies on executive pay, "living" wages, gender diversity, and action on global warming.
Business Coalition Seeks "Net Zero" Emissions by 2050

February 13, 2018

The global coalition of business, civil society, and labor leaders called the B Team has published a report assessing contributions of businesses to the fulfillment of the UN's climate change agenda and calling on companies to join an initiative aimed at achieving "net zero" emissions by the year 2050.
US Foundation Launches Supply-Chain-Mapping Venture Fund

February 08, 2018

The Thomson Reuters Foundation reports that US foundation Humanity United, in partnership with corporations and the British government, has launched a $23-million venture fund called Working Capital to map the global supply chains of major companies and assist workers raise allegations regarding their subjection to forced labor.
Chevron Questions Limited Scope of Cities' Climate Suit

February 08, 2018

Legal NewsLine reports that energy company Chevron has filed a third-party complaint against state-owned Norwegian oil company Statoil as it seeks to expand the scope of a lawsuit by various Californian municipalities alleging damages by a limited set of large oil and gas companies, including Chevron, related to their contribution to global warming.
NGO Seeks Investigation of Cities' Climate Statements

February 08, 2018

The Competitive Enterprise Institute has requested that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigate four California local governments that have filed lawsuits against energy companies for statements in their bond offerings contradicting what they say are clear sea-level and other impacts of global warming on their communities.
London Business School Plans Institute for Social Issues

February 07, 2018

Highlighting pressure from international organizations and nongovernmental groups on businesses to embrace the global "sustainability" agenda, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reports that the London Business School is setting up an institute to "harness the power of business" to solve social problems in developing countries.