Each week, the Erb Institute shares a collection of news and updates regarding business sustainability. This month, in honor of Human Rights Day on December 10th, the Erb Institute blog and social media is focusing on Human Rights issues and news.

Sustainable Business News – 12/2/2017 – 12/8/2017

Human Rights

Making Transparency an Ally in the Battle for Human Rights

Triple Pundit

“Tackling human rights in business is no longer just an internal process of supply chain compliance. With transparency reaching an all-time premium, it has become a major market and industry priority. Consumers are bearing their teeth around the globe, taking action online and offline against companies with poor human rights records and questionable sourcing ethics, spurred on by media-savvy activist groups fulfilling their own brand of jihad against unscrupulous companies.”

Women’s Voices Must Not Be Ignored in Business and Human Rights Talks

Truth-Out

“Women are the majority of the world’s small-scale farmers and are primarily responsible for providing care, food and water for their families. But their work is often undervalued and unrecognised. When businesses violate human rights, gender-specific impacts remain largely invisible. Many of these violations are caused and exacerbated by entrenched and ‘normalised,’ everyday gender discrimination.”

5 apparel brands committed to respecting human rights

Erb Perspective Blog

“Thirty-eight percent of Patagonia’s product line is now Fair Trade Certified™. Patagonia has made a strong commitment to sustainability through its fair trade certified Better Sweater® and Men’s and Women’s Synchilla® Snap-T® styles. Each purchase sends more money back to factory workers that can be allocated as cash, used for a collective social investment or both.”

Companies no longer have an excuse to ignore human rights in their supply chains

Ethical Corporation

“As Human Rights Day approaches on 10 December, it is a timely opportunity for me to reflect on relevant changes during that time:

•  In 2011, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) were unanimously endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council.  These have since become the authoritative guidance for businesses to understand their responsibilities to respect human rights;
•  Legislation has appeared across Europe requiring certain companies to not only report on human rights issues and modern slavery in their own organisations but also within their supply chains.”

Wilmar Embraces Sustainability-Linked Finance, Unveils Child Protection Policy

Sustainable Brands

“Wilmar International, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, has announced major steps forward in reducing its environmental and social impacts. The company has worked out an innovative financial deal with ING to link its existing loan to its sustainability performance, and has unveiled a policy aimed at protecting children living on its palm oil plantations. But human rights campaigners say it may be little more than a band-aid.”

Join DOT and Help Put the Brakes on Human Trafficking

U.S. Department of Transportation

“The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) collaborates with the Department of Homeland Security to offer a suite of human trafficking trainings for transportation employees that are tailored for the rail, motor coach, and aviation industries.  Successes within the rail and motor coach industries have included Amtrak training all 20,000 of their employees and Greyhound training all of their drivers.”Do you want to contribute to the conversation? Tweet us @erbinstitute!