http://somo.nl daily 1 2008-02-06T12:27:34Z http://somo.nl/news-en/new-somo-report-on-ing-highlights-corporate-social-responsibility-issues SOMO has looked into ING’s holdings of controversial companies and its lobby on financial reform. SOMO concludes amongst others that ING can and should do more to stop its shareholdings in companies involved in the production of cluster ammunition and landmines. No publisher rene 2012-05-10T10:58:13Z News Item http://somo.nl/news-en/young-dalit-women-exploited-in-indian-garment-industry European and US garment brands and retailers have failed in their attempts to structurally improve labour conditions at their suppliers in Tamil Nadu, South India. Despite corporate promises and a range of well-meaning initiatives, workers, mostly very young women, continue to suffer exploitative working conditions. Up until today, thousands of women in the garment and textile industry in Tamil Nadu work under recruitment and employment schemes that amount to bonded labour. These are the findings by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) and the India Committee of the Netherlands (ICN) presented in the report “Maid in India”, published today. No publisher rene 2012-04-25T11:31:04Z News Item http://somo.nl/news-en/sticking-up-for-unctad “The financial sector should serve the public interest again. Regulation of financial services has to be done in conjunction with the reform of trade agreements. UNCTAD, the UN body for trade and development, is the preferred organisation to monitor this process in the interest of developing countries.” In support of UNCTAD, senior researcher Myriam Vander Stichele of SOMO will address the thirteenth UNCTAD conference with similar words in Doha, Qatar on Thursday. No publisher rene 2012-04-19T14:46:02Z News Item http://somo.nl/news-en/working-towards-change-in-the-global-electronics-sector makeITfair works hard to promote substantial improvements in the production chain of consumer electronics; ranging from mining in Africa to manufacturing in Asia and Eastern Europe, and to the dumping of electronic waste in Africa. Here is a short overview of its most recent activities, including a campaign involving multinational Apple, and an update of the educational tool, Webquest. Furthermore, makeITfair and GoodElectronics have plans for the future. On 9 and 10 May they are organising a Round Table, which will bring together representatives of the electronics industry and civil society organisations from around the globe. No publisher noor 2012-04-25T12:31:57Z News Item http://somo.nl/news-en/sustainable-criteria-become-entrenched-in-city-neighbourhoods Three large cities in the Netherlands are now participating in the Sustainable Squares Project. In developing plans for a public square, the choice is made to procure products and materials which have been produced sustainably, wherever possible. In the East district of Amsterdam, the Sustainable Squares Project has been actively involved in the refurbishment of the Beukenplein from the beginning. ‘This is a way to raise awareness regarding the environmental and social issues that play a part in the production of stones and street furniture, not only among council employees and project developers, but also among civilians and users of public spaces,’ says Liesbeth Unger of Human Rights@Work, who is the project leader of the Sustainable Squares Project. No publisher noor 2012-04-17T09:15:47Z News Item