Business & Human Rights

Thomson Reuters Measures Corporate ESG Observance

September 10, 2014

Thomson Reuters has established a set of indices that will measure how companies implement policies related to international "environmental, social, and governance" principles, thus seeking to shame companies that have not made sufficient progress on these standards.
ICAR Seeks Implementation of BHR Principles in U.S. Contracts

September 10, 2014

The nongovernmental organization the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable ("ICAR") has called on the U.S. Government to evaluate contract bids on the adherence of the companies involved to international principles on business and human rights ("BHR").
U.K. NCP Receives Complaint over Company's Guantanamo Contract

September 03, 2014

A complaint to the U.K. National Contact Point ("NCP") for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises alleges that the British company G4S has violated these Guidelines by accepting a contract to provide "facilities services and general maintenance support" to the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay.
UN Pressures Companies to Agree to Commitments on Women

September 03, 2014

The UN Global Compact reports that 800 companies have signed on to a set of "Women's Empowerment Principles" and have thus committed to a set of steps aimed to empower women "to participate fully in economic life in all sectors" and promote "more stable and just societies."
NGOs Seek Standardization of NAP Development Process

September 03, 2014

Comments from a group of nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") to the UN Working Group on business and human rights ("BHR") encourage the body to "widen the net" of countries developing national action plans ("NAPs") on international BHR principles by standardizing the process of their development.