Events

Philippines: Mining or Food? report launch

February 2009, London

The Working Group on Mining in the Philippines launched its new report Philippines: Mining or Food? at the Houses of Parliament on Monday 9 February. The 300-page report highlights how mining threatens food security in the Philippines and echoes the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines in calling for a moratorium on new mining. Working Group Chair Clare Short MP drew attention at the launch to the substantial role of the City of London in financing mining around the world, including the Philippines, and the involvement of UK-based companies in the Philippines mining sector. Companies whose plans the report challenges include BHP Billiton, Intex, Philex Gold, TVI and Xstrata.

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ECCR open debate: 'Migrant workers in the economy: rights and responsibilities'

November 2008­­

Held at Friends House, London. Chair: Lord Harries of Pentregarth, former Bishop of Oxford. Speakers: Eamon O'Hearn Large, GMB trade union; Barbara Storey, SOS Polonia migrant workers project; Rev. David de Verny, former Ecumenical Chaplain with New Arrival Communities in SE Lincolnshire; Paul Whitehouse, Gangmasters Licensing Authority.

­Read the debate report (PDF)

Faith, Values & Business: how faith communities and values-based investors can promote corporate responsibility

­October, Manchester

This ECCR public meeting aimed to help people of faith consider how they and their churches can encourage businesses to operate according to ethical values and to ensure that their investments do not fund negative impacts on vulnerable communities and the environment. The meeting heard from a range of excellent speakers, including Fiona Gooch of Traidcraft, Patrick Hynes of Oikocredit, and Brigid Benson of the GÆ­IA Partnership. Presentations alternated with varied and penetrating questions and lively discussion.

 ­Read more (pdf)

New ECCR South West Group launch meeting, Bristol

February 2008

ECCR members and potential members from South West England gathered at the Woodlands Christian Centre, Bristol, on Saturday 9 February 2008 to launch a new ECCR local group in the South West region. Corporate ECCR members represented included the Churches' Council for Industry and Social Responsibility, Ethical Investors UK, Oikocredit UK and Rathbone Greenbank Investments.

ECCR's South West Group will initially concentrate on encouraging large companies in the South West to increase their responsible management of supply chains, with particular regard to mainstreaming Fair Trade, focusing first on supermarket own-brand products and on Cadbury Schweppes, which has a key regional presence, and highlighting bottom-line reputational and market share issues.

ECCR members and others in the South West who would be interested in being involved are invited to contact Matt Crossman (chair), Matt.Crossman@rathbones.com, or Jonathan Seagrave (secretary), jon_seagrave@yahoo.co.uk.

Read more (pdf)

More about ECCR local groups

ECCR open debate: 'Water sustainability: the challenge to business'

September 2007

Held at Methodist Church House, London. Chair: Claire Foster (National Policy Adviser, Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England). Speakers: Dr Tom Le Quesne (WWF-UK), Jacob Tompkins (Waterwise), David Gardner (The Co-operative Farms), Nicole Lander (Dairy Crest).

Read more (pdf)­

ECCR workshop on multinationals and corporate responsibility

­March 2007­

Held at the Methodist Central Mission, Birmingham, focusing on how individuals, faith organisations and local groups can research and monitor the behaviour of multinational companies and engage them in dialogue with them, including the use of shareholder rights to influence their policy and practice. Speakers included David Darlaston (Business in the Community), Barbara Hayes (ECCR) and Suzanne Ismail (ECCR).­

Workshop on Churches, Civil Society, Multinational Companies and Corporate Responsibility in Central and Eastern Europe

October 2006

Co-organised by ECCR with support from the European Commission, and held over three days in Prague, Czech Republic. Speakers and session chairs (in programme order): Pavel Franc (Environmental Law Service, CZ), Klára Schirová (CEE Bankwatch, CZ), Bettina Musiolek (Evangelical Academy Meissen, DE), Ji_í Siln_ (Ecumenical Academy Prague, CZ), Fiona Gooch (Traidcraft Exchange), Pierre Habbard (Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD), Barbara Hayes (ECCR), Matthew Ross (Conference of European Churches), John Cunningham (Church Investors Group), Bill Seddon (Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church), Stephen Hine (EIRIS), Birgit Weinbrenner (Oikocredit, NL), Joost Douma (3iG / International Interfaith Investment Group), Suzanne Ismail (ECCR), John Wilson (Christian Brothers Investment Service / ICCR, USA), Miles Litvinoff (ECCR).

Read more (pdf) 

ECCR open debate: 'Flying in the face of climate change?'

September 2006

Held at Methodist Church House, London. Chair: Barbara Hayes (ECCR). Speakers: Martyn Graham (Society of British Aerospace Companies), Chris Goater (Airport Operators Association), Peter Lockley (Aviation Environment Federation), Jason Torrance (Transport 2000).

Read more (pdf)

ECCR workshop on shareholder responsibility: challenges and opportunities

March 2006

Held at Friends House, London. A knowledge- and skill-sharing event for individual and smaller institutional investors – faith-based and secular – focusing on how to be more effective in engaging on corporate responsibility with companies. Sessions led by Andrew Pendleton (Christian Aid), Victoria Woodbridge (EIRIS), Barbara Hayes (ECCR) and Suzanne Ismail (ECCR).

ECCR open debate: 'The ethical supply chain – shareholder value or impossible ideal?'

September 2005

Held at Methodist Church House, London. Chair: Barbara Hayes (ECCR). Speakers: Fiona Gooch (Traidcraft Exchange), Muriel Johnson (consultant to Marks & Spencer), James Stacey (KPMG), David Meller (Sainsbury plc), Colin Meech (UNISON).

ECCR open debate: 'What does sustainable development require of business?'

September 2005

Held at the Said Business School, Oxford. Chair: Sir Crispin Tickell. Speakers: Stewart Wallis (New Economics Foundation), Caroline Lucas MEP, Richard Aylard (Thames Water).