Business & Human Rights

Businesses Pledge “Sustainable” Textile Supply Chains

August 30, 2018

As part of growing pressure on businesses to perform human rights due diligence, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, a coalition of companies, NGOs, and the German government, has announced the release by 116 of its members of roadmaps toward “sustainable” supply chains, as reviewed and approved by “external experts.”
NGOs Call First Asian BHR Action Plan an “Embarrassment”

August 29, 2018

A group of nongovernmental organizations has published an open letter calling Thailand’s recently released National Action Plan on fulfilling the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (BHR) - the first in Asia - an “embarrassment” due to its failure to rely for its content on the advice of NGOs and UN human rights mandate holders.
Article Seeks Business Action Against State Data Demands

August 21, 2018

Isabel Laura Ebert of the Institute for Business Ethics, reflecting activist pressure on telecommunications and information technology companies facing government requests for user data, calls on such companies to ramp up their transparency and increase pushback against governments making requests that violate user rights.
Tourism Council Joins UN Initiative on Climate Action

August 15, 2018

The World Travel and Tourism Council, a global body representing companies in the travel and tourism industry, has agreed to join the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative with a pledge by its members to reduce and offset their greenhouse gas emissions and push for “sustainable” practices in line with the UN’s Paris climate deal.
EU Court Takes on Legal Challenge to Emissions Targets

August 15, 2018

The website Climate Liability News reports that, as part of a growing global trend of “climate litigation,” the EU’s General Court has accepted a case challenging the EU’s current target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to comply with the bloc’s pledges under the UN’s Paris climate deal as insufficient and a violation of Europeans’ fundamental rights.