Surveillance Capitalism

WEF Summit Pushes Industry Action on SDGs

November 20, 2017

In September, the World Economic Forum (WEF) hosted a Sustainable Development Impact Summit in New York to emphasize the need for "partnerships" between governments and industry to achieve the UN's comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and further the goals of the UN's Paris climate deal.
Academics Explore "B Corps" Contributions to BHR

November 20, 2017

In a recent article, academics Joanne Bauer and Elizabeth Umlas explore how adjusting the concept of the "B Corp," a new corporate form requiring the company to focus on creating a "material positive impact on society and the environment," could contribute to the advancement of the global business and human rights (BHR) agenda.
Global Court Agrees to Hear Fashion Brand Cases

October 25, 2017

Demonstrating the risks involved in corporate agreement to "voluntary" global human rights frameworks, Reuters reports that the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has agreed to hear cases against two fashion brands alleging that they failed to force their suppliers to improve the working conditions in their facilities.
Mars Announces $1 Billion in Climate Spending

October 19, 2017

Business Insider reports that, highlighting the accelerating adoption by global companies of the UN's "sustainable development" agenda, food company Mars has announced that it will finance a "Sustainability in a Generation" campaign promoting action against climate change in the amount of $1 billion.
Companies Adopt Financing Tools for Climate Agenda

October 17, 2017

Erin Hiatt of the Retail Industry Leaders Association illustrates how some of the world's largest retailers, under pressure by activists and international organizations to implement the global "sustainability" agenda, are establishing climate and energy financing mechanisms such as "green bonds" and "internal carbon funds."
Oxfam: US Corporate Tax Legislation Threatens Rights

October 11, 2017

An article published by Oxfam America asserts that American businesses have an ethical responsibility to object to a US congressional tax reform proposal over concerns that its reduction of tax obligations on US businesses will affect the economic and social human rights of "millions" of people around the world.
Norwegian Banks Dispute NGO Pressure on Pipeline

September 22, 2017

Reuters reports that a group of Norwegian financial entities have disputed a legal claim from Energy Transfer Partners LP that they divested from its Dakota Access Pipeline project as a result of pressure from activist organizations, asserting that the decision was based instead on the "unacceptable risk of contributing to serious or systematic human rights violations."
NGO Questions US Data Sharing Proposal

September 21, 2017

Cynthia Wong of Human Rights Watch has warned that a proposal by the US Department of Justice to allow foreign governments to directly request access to user information from technology companies threatens to undermine privacy rights for users by bypassing judicial review of requests.
UN, Tech Leaders Push for Innovative SDG Approach

September 21, 2017

The UN hosted a dialogue in which government officials and representatives from major tech companies stressed the need to harness technological innovation in pursuit of the UN's comprehensive social and environmental targets contained in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Trade Associations Promote "Sustainability" Agenda

September 19, 2017

In an op-ed, representatives from the UN-coordinated International Trade Centre and the Foreign Trade Association present initiatives from their organizations, including a "business social compliance initiative" and "trade for sustainable development" programme, seeking to persuade governments and businesses to adopt the "sustainability" agenda in their foreign trade practices.