Surveillance Capitalism

Shell Backs Activist Resolution on Climate Change

February 04, 2015

As pressure increases for companies to support the international climate agenda, the oil company Shell has announced its support for an activist resolution proposed by shareholders that seeks to restrain the company from engaging in actions that will contribute to global warming.
Transnational Company Signs "Global Union Agreement"

January 28, 2015

The French oil and gas company Total has signed an agreement with the international union IndustriALL guaranteeing the respect of trade union rights across its operations and in its supply chain as it seeks to abide by international principles on business and human rights.
Nestle CEO Expresses Commitment to BHR Agenda

December 17, 2014

During a recent UN forum, Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of Nestle Paul Bulcke demonstrated pressure on businesses to adopt the UN's business and human rights ("BHR") agenda, calling for other businesses to follow the lead of Nestle in performing "impact assessments" and implementing other BHR measures.
Canadian Courts Consider Tort Claims in International BHR Cases

December 10, 2014

Attorneys H. Scott Fairley and Anastasija Sumakova write that Canadian civil courts are increasingly considering common law claims against corporations for alleged violations of business and human rights ("BHR") principles in other countries, based on a "duty of care" related to international norms.
UN Partner Uses Assessment Tool to Advance BHR

November 19, 2014

The UN Global Compact's German network has published the results of its Organisational Capacity Assessment Instrument to monitor and pressure 57 companies to analyze whether their operations adhere to the UN's business and human rights ("BHR") agenda.
Article Outlines "Shortcoming" in Adidas Complaint Mechanism

November 12, 2014

Following the announcement by Adidas of a third party complaint process on business and human rights issues, an article on the "sustainable" business website TriplePundit has called for the company to go further in tracking potential future human rights violations in its operations.
Oxfam Ranks Companies on Social and Environmental Impacts

October 22, 2014

The nongovernmental organization Oxfam has released an updated "scorecard" of the ten largest food companies, rating them on the basis of their commitments to internationally developed social and environmental standards in their operations.
Energy Companies Agree to Methane Reporting

October 08, 2014

Under UN pressure, a group of companies in the oil and gas industry has agreed to a partnership in which they will systematically monitor and issue reports on their work to reduce methane emissions and combat global warming.
Corporations Set up Anti-Global Warming Venture

October 08, 2014

Under pressure from nongovernmental organizations to advance environmentally friendly causes, a group of multinational corporations has set up a website, which may expand into a global organization, that seeks to "activate" young people in the fight against climate change.
NGO Pushes Investors to Report Fossil Fuel Divestment

October 08, 2014

The Asset Owners Disclosure Project is placing pressure on institutional investors to disclose whether they are advancing the international agenda against climate change by divesting from "high carbon assets."