10 October 2018
Blockchain technology enables several sectors to access a single register that is decentralized, transparent, and by its construction, really tough to hack. In both the US and Europe, companies, NGOs, and public authorities are starting to conceive of ways to apply blockchain technology in the corporate CSR domain. A pilot project led by soft drinks producer Coca-Cola, the US State Department, and Blockchain experts (Blockchain Trust Accelerator, Bitfury Group et Emercoin) is seeking to deploy blockchain...
13 June 2018
Vigeo Eiris is a global provider of environmental, social and governance (ESG) research to investors and public and private corporates. The ESG ratings agency has recently published a report on the commitments and provisions pertaining to social dialogue by 2,400 listed companies. Social dialogue is seen as a subject largely swept under the carpet.
16 May 2018
The Responsible Business Forum think tank comprising from large company senior executives has just published its ‘Responsible Business in Poland. Good Practices 2017’ report, which reviews 1,190 good CSR-related business practices. The annual report is the largest CSR best practices compilation in Poland and for the 2017 edition 177 companies took part, 50 of which were SMEs. The number of good CSR practices has risen by 330, demonstrating companies’ deepening engagement. The Forum checked all the 1,190 good...
12 April 2018
It was almost five years ago when on 24 April 2013 the 8-storey Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed resulting in 1,134 fatalities and 2,000 injured. At the time the disaster caused a great deal of furore and several European and American contractors felt duty bound to intervene whereupon a five-year plan was devised and put in place. The plan is approaching its end date (May 2018)* and it is now time to take stock. Have the objectives been achieved? Is it time for those involved to leave? Are there still tasks requiring completion? Such are the questions that were debated at the New York Ford foundation and focused on during an...
17 November 2017
In its annual report, published on 15 November, the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety was positive on the progress it has made. The organisation, which is funded by leading US retailers, has pushed 234 different factories to undertake relevant construction work and has also provided mass training on fire safety.
6 November 2017
The first Business Against Slavery Forum was held in London in October. The event brought together the chief executives of eight leading UK companies, including banking groups Barclays and HSBC as well as luxury fashion brand Burberry, Associated British Foods and clothing retailer Primark. This meeting, the first of its kind, was organised by the UK’s Home Office, under the Modern Slavery Act. Its aim is to discuss measures that could be put in place to fight more effectively against slavery, which is plaguing...
4 October 2017
Carrefour was one of the first companies to sign the 2013 Bangladesh Accord on Fire & Building Safety (c.f. article No. 130323) and is also one of the first to have renewed its commitment as part of the new Accord signed on 10 July 2017 (c.f. article No. 10278). Bertrand Swiderski, Carrefour CSR Head explains why the group is so committed.
24 February 2017
Following on from yesterday’s article on Vigeo Eiris’ study (see article n°10081), we are now looking in greater deal at what the agency highlights as regards how companies address employees’ right to union membership and to collective bargaining, as part of their human rights commitments.
23 February 2017
A new study conducted by non-financial rating agency Vigeo Eiris, which looks at corporate conduct in terms of the respect of fundamental human rights, reveals that few companies make a tangible commitment to all the areas associated with human rights for which they are responsible. Those that do make a clear commitment are mostly European and account for less than 4% of the 3000 companies from 35 countries assessed by the agency. However, this minority of leaders show that it is possible to incorporate a...
8 January 2016
Almost three years after the Rana Plaza tragedy, Irish clothing brand Primark and the UK government are joining forces to try and improve the lot of textile workers, especially female workers in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
