Sun, 13 May 2012 20:40:50 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/ ECCR - Site Administration en-gb http://www.eccr.org.uk/images/eccr.png http://www.eccr.org.uk/ info@eccr.org.uk http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article261.html May 2012 ECCR is calling for companies to strengthen their focus against human trafficking and modern slavery in advance of London 2012.­Working as part of an international coalition which includes members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, FairPensions and the Institute for Human Rights and Business we have written to 31 Olympic sponsors and hotel chains that may be at a higher risk of encountering human trafficking in their premis­es or in their supply chains.The letters (pdf) call for immediate and transparent actions to train staff and suppliers to recognize and avoid the trafficking of workers into slavery, to monitor their supply chains, and to examine recruitment practices.  Many companies, including Accor, Thomas Cook, Whitbread, Next, Proctor and Gamble and Sainsbury'­s have already responded.  These responses, and those received subsequently, will be analysed and used to produce a good practice guide later this summer.To impact future Olympics, select members of the coalition has also sent a letter urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to require that all Olympic corporate sponsors, suppliers, contractors and host cities take concrete steps to eliminate commercial sexual exploitation of children and labor trafficking.Take action to fight human tr­afficking at London 2012­News release (pdf) Sun, 13 May 2012 20:40:50 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article260.html ­­­­March 2012­­ Raising UK's game: the new Bribery ActCorruption in extractive sectors­Trace the Ta­xQPortfolios: Quaker-governanced investmentECCR West Midlands: Banks and SocietyRead this issue (pdf) Thu, 10 May 2012 17:37:28 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article259.html Newsletter (pdf)­ Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:59:35 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article258.html Newsletter (pdf) Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:19:11 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article257.html ­Newsletter (pdf)­­ Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:58:06 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article252.html November 2011, London Both the global economic downturn and the pending London Olympic year bring issues around the exploitation of vulnerable workers into sharp focus in the UK. The wide-ranging nature of this exploitation and the opportunities for large companies to do more to prevent it were discussed by five expert speakers in front of an audience of about 130 people at ECCR's open debate 2011 at Friends House. Panellists Dr Stella Creasy MP, Catherine Howarth of FairPensions, D.I. Kevin Hyland of the Metropolitan Police Trafficking and Prostitution Unit, Dr Sasha Rakoff of OBJECT, and Bill Seddon of the Church Investors Group and Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church addressed a wide range of issues affecting vulnerable workers across many of the key Olympic sectors, leading to lively questions and debate from the floor.­Event report (pdf) ­News release (pdf) ­Event flyer (pdf)­ECCR has collaborated with US partner ICCR on engaging UK based companies, including Sainsbury, on human trafficking with regard to a June 2011 investor statement on human trafficking which ECCR co-signed. Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:34:54 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article254.html ­November 2011, Belfast This event, supported by ECCR, provided an opportunity for participants to learn how the savings and financial reserves of churches and civil society organisations can make a contribution to financing the transition towards a lower carbon economy, poverty alleviation and socially useful work, and to hear from with some of the­ financial services providers who address these issues.­­Event report (pdf) Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:34:45 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article256.html October 2011 Recognizing the broad influence of business on the global supply chain, an investor coalition representing over 90 organizations worldwide - led by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and including ECCR - issued a ­statement in June 2011 asking 27 companies to take a leadership role in abolishing human trafficking and slavery.This statement was open for new signatories during National Ethical Investment Week in the UK (16-22 October). For more information contact ­Lauren Compere.­ Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:34:35 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article250.html UKSIF (UK Sustainable Investment­ and Finance), ECCR and CCLA have worked together for the last few years to produce an Action Guide for Churches for National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW)­.The Action Guides explain what ethical investment is and how individuals and churches can invest responsibly. They also provide ideas and resources for worship, displays, newsletter articles and letters to the local press.A wide variety of worship material has been provided in the 3 Guides to date, which churches are also encouraged to use to reflect on economic justice in services throughout the year.Download 2011 Guide (pdf)Download 2010 Guide (pdf) ­­Download 2009 Guide (pdf)A new Action Guide for Churches will be published in summer 2012.  Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:34:30 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article255.html Newsletter (pdf)­ Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:33:30 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article251.html August 2011 The National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills in the Niger Delta (NACGOND) has welcomed a new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report highlighting the extraordinary scale of oil spills in the Ogoni area of the Niger Delta.NACGOND was formed by partner organisations of church-based research and advocacy group the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR).News release (pdf) Sun, 14 Aug 2011 21:52:18 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article249.html ­Newsletter (pdf) Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:16:15 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article248.html July 2011 The ever growing News International hacking scandal highlights two key lessons for all those who care about business ethics and corporate responsibility. First, News Corporation’s falling share price emphasises the link between good corporate governance and shareholder value. Second, the case reveals how far many multinational companies have to go before they meet minimum international standards of business and human rights.Read more (pdf) Tue, 19 Jul 2011 22:58:11 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article247.html July 2011, London ­Co-organised by Anti-Slavery International, ECCR and the Institute for Human Rights & Business, the meeting shared experience of regulation in different sectors and asked what lessons the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) can offer policymakers. Chair: Rt Rev. Lord Harries; panel speakers: Ian Livsey, GLA; Krisnah Poinasamy, Oxfam UK; Will Stephens, Tesco.­ECCR supports calls for better regulation of worker protection Mon, 04 Jul 2011 06:58:22 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article246.html June 2011 Over 3,000 corporations now engage in public sustainability reporting. Who establishes the criteria to be measured and over what length of time?­ How do we define sustainability? A new Social Sustainability Resource Guide from ECCR’s US partner the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) provides a roadmap that shifts the focal point from corporate to community, the indicators from outputs to outcomes, and the horizon from short to long term.ICCR offers this guide to stimulate further development of social impact measurements to create sustainable change.Download ICCR’s guide (pdf) Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:24:10 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article245.html ­­Newsletter (pdf) Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:07:21 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article244.html June 2011 ECCR’s Chair, Lee Coates, has been made OBE in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours. On hearing of the award ‘for services to ethical business and finance’, Lee said: ‘I am proud of ECCR’s work in the area of business ethics, drawing global attention to the plight of disadvantaged communities impacted by big business. The support I have received as ECCR’s Chair has been exceptional.’Lord Harries of Pentregarth, ECCR’s Patron, commented: ‘I am so glad that the issue of corporate responsibility is being recognised in this way.’ Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:35:24 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article243.html ECCR was one of 46 faith-based and civil society organisations from around the world calling for a robust UN mechanism to follow up on the work of Prof. John Ruggie, UN Special Representative on business and human rights, whose mandate has now ended. The statement was filed with the UN Human Rights Council on 16 May.Read more (pdf) Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:27:41 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article241.html June 2011, Dublin ­ L&P Financial Trustees hosted a morning conference in conjunction with ECCR, Christian Aid Ireland, EcoQuakers Ireland and Trócaire to launch The Banks and Society: Rebuilding Trust, with discussion of the report’s recommendations for application in an Irish context. Chair: Mary Duffy, L&P; speakers: Donnchadh Brown, L&P; Miles Litvinoff, ECCR; Sr Magdalen Fogarty, Clann Credo; Ian Halstead, L&P. Thursday 2 June, Emmaus Retreat & Conference Centre, Swords, Co. Dublin.­­ECCR presentation (pdf) L&P presentation (pdf)­ Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:00:33 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article242.html ­Newsletter (pdf)  Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:03:26 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article240.html April 2011 It is just over two and a half years since Lehman Brothers bank filed a petition for bankruptcy. The event was a defining moment in recent times and the shock waves are still affecting us...Read more (pdf) Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:22:21 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article239.html April 2011 The declaration by Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein in late 2009 that he was doing God’s work was perhaps at odds with most people’s understanding of banking. Unlike other investors, however, churches are naturally attuned to the post-crisis clamour about ethics and good governance...Read more (pdf) Tue, 26 Apr 2011 07:16:46 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article238.html ­Newsletter (pdf) Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:24:07 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article237.html April 2011 ­ ECCR has joined a civil society coalition calling on the UK Government to enhance the protection of vulnerable workers by bringing the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate under the management of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and adopting the GLA’s approach of targeted, intelligence-led enforcement across all industry sectors.The Institute for Human Rights and Business, Anti-Slavery International, Oxfam GB, the Ethical Trading Initiative, the Association of Labour Providers and ECCR have submitted the proposal to Minister for Employment Relations Ed Davey MP as a contribution to the government’s current review of workplace rights.Coalition proposalECCR report Vulnerable Migrant Workers Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:03:47 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article231.html ­Newsletter (pdf) Sun, 20 Mar 2011 22:03:31 +0000