SOMO News
Up one levelSustainable voting advice for investors
This year the Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (Vereniging van Beleggers voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling - VBDO) has issued sustainable voting advices which can be used when voting at the annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders of Dutch stock exchange listed companies. Similar to previous years, the voting advice is partly based on research by SOMO.
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.
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.
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.
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.
