Surveillance Capitalism

Coke Faces Criticism for "Band-aid" Plastics Policy

January 29, 2018

Activist organization Greenpeace has downplayed the impacts of beverage company Coca-Cola's announcement that it will increase its use of recycled plastic to 50% worldwide by the year 2030, arguing that this policy is a "band-aid" that will do little to reduce the company's "plastic footprint."
NGO Criticizes McDonald's Move Toward "Sustainable" Packaging

January 29, 2018

Activist environmental organization Greenpeace has criticized the announcement of fast-food company McDonald's that it would create all of its guest packaging from renewable, recycled, or "certified" sources by the year 2025 and tackle its use of foam packaging for failing to deal with the "epidemic" of the production of single-use plastics.
Global Unions Force $2.3 Million Factory Safety Settlement

January 29, 2018

Two global union groups have announced that they have secured a $2.3 million settlement from a multinational clothing brand in the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague to enhance factory safety in Bangladesh under the terms of a global agreement signed by apparel companies in response to the 2013 Rana Plaza factory disaster in the country.
Exxon Threatens Municipalities with Climate Countersuit

January 18, 2018

CNN reports that Exxon has accused a group of cities and countries in California suing the energy company over its alleged contributions to global warming of bad faith, given the statements made by some of these municipalities in their bond offerings on the uncertainties involved in climate change, and requested to depose city officials in a move toward a countersuit.
CoE, FIFA Signal Cooperation on Rights Agenda

January 17, 2018

At a recent meeting, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Gianni Infantino and Council of Europe (CoE) Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland agreed to develop a memorandum of understanding through which FIFA and the CoE would cooperate on "human rights" issues such as doping, match-fixing, and safety at sporting events.
SEC Rejects Apple's Exclusion of Human Rights Resolution

January 10, 2018

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sent a letter to Apple opposing the tech company's move to exclude from a shareholder vote a resolution requiring the company to establish a "human rights committee" on the ground that the resolution was not "sufficiently significant" to Apple's business operations.
Unilever Embraces BHR-Focused Corporate Model

January 09, 2018

Marcela Manubens, a Vice President of global consumer products company Unilever focused on "sustainability," has published an article calling on corporations around the world to develop "new inclusive business models" implementing the business and human rights (BHR) agenda in their operations and supply chains.
Corporate Initiative Counters Climate Lawsuits

January 09, 2018

The Washington Examiner reports that the National Association of Manufacturers has announced a new legal initiative, called the Manufacturers' Accountability Project, through which it will counter litigation from activist groups and government officials pushing a broad new theory of "public nuisance" to sue manufacturers for their alleged contributions to global warming.
Companies Face Funding Demands Under Bangladesh Accord

January 08, 2018

Global union groups IndustriALL and UNI have reached a settlement with two fashion brands at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague for funding to remedy fire and building safety issues in the factories of Bangladesh clothing suppliers under an agreement signed by leading fashion brands to fund remediation of such issues after a Bangladesh factory disaster in 2013.
Bank Group Explores BHR Due Diligence Duties

January 08, 2018

The Thun Group of Banks has published guidance advising banks, "in the context of business relationships with clients," to conduct "due diligence" to determine risks of human rights violations as part of the framework of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR) and, in some cases, to use leverage to push clients to refrain from human rights impacts.