CSR management

Fanning the flames

UK mining companies are complicit in human rights violations in developing countries according to a report published in late November by War on Want. Fanning the flames: The role of British mining companies in conflict and the violation of human rights considers the mining companies Verdata, Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto and calls on the UK government to rely less on self-regulation and to acknowledge that “the voluntary approach to CSR has failed”.

The campaign group wants local communities to have the right to seek redress in the UK if they have been affected by the operations of British mining companies, for the government to expand the reporting requirements of the Companies Act 2006 so that all UK companies in the extractive industry have to report on their social and environmental impacts, and for the government to support the establishment of binding international standards for corporate accountability including an effective complaints mechanism for victims of corporate human rights abuses. Some of the companies involved have responded to the allegations. Contact War on Want 020 7549 0555 www.waronwant.org

Dream for Darfur

Companies must take action on Darfur before the Beijing Olympic Games begin in August this year according to a New York-based campaign group. Dream for Darfur is hoping that the pressure on corporations will force China to take action in the Darfur region of Sudan, which has strong business and political links to China.

The organisation published And Now… Not a Word from Our Sponsors at the end of November, which failed or gave D’s to 16 of the 19 top official Olympic sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Visa, Panasonic, BHP Billiton as well as Microsoft. Only General Electric gained a C grade because it has contacted the International Olympic Committee about the crisis in Darfur and has provided aid. The report also makes recommendations for immediate action, which includes publicly acknowledging the problems, engaging in dialogue with China and combining forces with other sponsors.
Contact Dream for Darfur 001 646 823 2412 www.dreamfordarfur.org.uk

Bank secrets

Many financial groups are supporting human rights violations according to a report from a Belgian NGO. Bank Secrets (Bankgeheimen) was published by the financial watchdog Netwerk Vlaanderen at the end of November. The group accuses investors of financing weapon manufacturers, co-operating with armed rebel groups and polluting the environment as well as a number of other violations. Banks that are profiled in the report are ABN AMRO, AXA, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Dexia, Fortis, ING and KBC. Contact Netwerk Vlaanderen 0032 2 201 07 70 www.netwerkvlaanderen.be