Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:25:12 +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/Article292.html ­ECCR supports the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) letter to the Times of­ 14 June 2013 regarding Global Mandatory Transparency Standards.Here is a link to the letter on the PWYP website. ­You can view a pdf of the letter here­ Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:25:12 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article291.html ­­­­­­June 2013ECCR: New Direction Keeping Faith in FinanceEthical Money ChurchesFree Prior Informed Consent Protecting vulnerable workersG8: IF tax and transparency are tackledRead this issue (pdf) ­ Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:29:08 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article290.html ECCR was among the more than 50 US and UK sustainable, socially responsible, and faith-based investment groups representing $458.67 billion in assets under management that released a statement on 30 May expressing their support for the US Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) final rule for Conflict Mineral Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and their disagreement to the lawsuit filed against the SEC by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Business Roundtable. For over a decade, the trade in conflict minerals has fuelled egregious human rights and labour rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) including rape, child soldiers, and slave labour. Section 1502 is an unprecedented rule as it marks the first time in history that companies must disclose whether their products contain conflict minerals by carrying out supply chain due diligence and reporting to the SEC. It is applicable to non-US companies too. The lawsuit filed against the SEC could delay the positive results available from this disclosure legislation.Investor statement (pdf) Press release (pdf) Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:00:16 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article289.html Newsletter (pdf) Thu, 23 May 2013 12:34:20 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article288.html ­­­­Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks) Press release 2 May 2013 ­There is now a growing acceptance of the requirement for indigenous peoples’ Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) in many industries, including the extractive industries. This has been reflected by its incorporation into policies of an increasing number of mining companies, although admittedly sometimes in a more diluted form. As the need for FPIC is introduced into state law, and made a requirement of financing, companies are increasingly struggling with how to implement FPIC. Yet, for indigenous peoples it is clear that their right to give or withhold FPIC should be seen in a context of them as rights-holders, rather than just yet another stake-holder. Therefore, there seemed to be a need for research to act as a basis for constructing a common ground with regard to the requirement for indigenous peoples’ FPIC. The report, Making Free Prior & Informed Consent a Reality: Indigenous Peoples and the Extractive Sector seeks to do just that. Authored by Cathal Doyle and Jill Carino, it advocates for multinational mining companies, the investor community, and state actors to understand the importance of the FPIC principle from ethical, sustainability and economic perspectives. Fundamentally it argues that it is essential to understand FPIC from an indigenous peoples’ rights-based perspective in order to effectively implement it in a manner whichis in accordance with indigenous peoples’ exercising their right to self-determination.The report was launched at Middlesex University in London on 2nd May, involving a round-table discussion of the report's contents by indigenous peoples, representatives of the mining industry and invited experts. This was followed by a public launch, at which a number of the indigenous peoples spoke about what FPIC meant to them, following on from a keynote address by the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples, Professor James Anaya. Professor Anaya stressed the importance of FPIC as part of a bundle of rights, and yet how, so far, its implementation was often far from adequate. He noted how both the round-table, and the report itself, were an excellent push forward in the implementation of FPIC.Anne Marie Sam of the Nak'azdli First Nation in Canada stressed what the concept meant to her. Her elders had noted that the “souls of our ancestors are on the land. You take care of the land and the land takes care of you. Our identity comes from the land”. She joined other speakers in passionately advocating for their right to decide their own fate. They stressed the growing importance of indigenous peoples organising, so that they could assert these rights. They also spoke to the emerging theme of indigenous communities defining their own culturally appropriate guidelines for implementing FPIC, which is reviewed – with the aid of case studies - in the report. The research was conducted on behalf of a consortium of organisations, including Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks), Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR), and the  Middlesex University School of Law, but backed by a larger number of indigenous advisors and organisations. It is part of a project which aims to promote the human rights of indigenous peoples by persuading leading multinational mining companies to abide by their obligations under international human rights standards. Specifically, the project aims to achieve sector-wide adoption of FPIC as the global mining industry standard, in order to safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples faced with mining operations in their territories. The report can be ­viewed here (along with an extract of the conclusions and recommendations, together with a Word version of a Spanish translation of the extract). Photos of the public launch are available on requestContact: Andy Whitmore, Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks)Mobile: +44 775 439 5597­Email: comms@piplinks.org­­ ­­­ Wed, 08 May 2013 18:44:32 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article287.html ECCR has encouraged our corporate members to accept an invitation from Boston Common Asset Management, one of ECCR's US corporate members, to sign a joint UK-US investor letter on political donations to Third-Party Organisations, urging companies to greater transparency on these donations.The letter will go to companies in the FTSE100 which have an AGM resolution in the 2013 proxy season concerning political donations. Fri, 03 May 2013 11:15:17 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article286.html ­­­The Gaia Foundation in conjunction with the All Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group are launching their report "Short Circuit - The lifecycle of our electronic gadgets and the true cost to Earth" on Wednesday 24th April 2013 from 3-4.30pm at Committee Room 11, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.An invitation to attend is attached here­ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:28:00 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article285.html ­­­­­­­­­­John Arnold from ECCR attended the St Paul's Institute debate on 'Good People' which took place on Thursday 11th April as part of their series 'The City and the Common Good: What kind of City do we want?'A video recording of the event is now available hereThe next event on 'Good Money' is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 7th May. You can register your tickets for 'Good Money' here­­­­­­­­ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:08:22 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article284.html Following a report from the London Mining Network last year entitled "UK-listed mining companies and the case for stricter oversight", they have followed this up with a letter to the Financial Conduct Authority encouraging them to use their powers to ensure that UK-Listed Mining Companies are strictly regulated and adhere to the law of the UK and the countries in which they operate.  ECCR and PIPLinks have both signed up to this call.­Letter from the London Mining Network to the FCA (pdf)­ Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:07:16 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article282.html ­ ­­Wha­t: ­Launch of advocacy r­esearch report on Free, Prior, Informed Consent for indigenous peoples and how it applies to the mining industry­­Where: Town Hall, Middle­sex University, The Burroughs, Hendon, London, NW4 4BT, United Kingdom (map)When: 6pm – 2nd May 2013­­Speakers: Will include Professor James Anaya, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, ex-Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (& Director of Tebtebba Foundation), as well as representatives of industry and indigenous peoplesDetails: The project is seeking to persuade ­leading multinational mining companies to adopt the principle of FPIC in their policies and fully comply with it in practice in all of their operations, so as to increase compliance with respect for indigenous peoples rights. The advocacy paper will allow for better informed dialogue between mine-affecte­d indigenous communities and the industry. It will draw on case studies to illustrate positive and negative experiences from which lessons can be derived, and will make recommendations based on the findings. The launch will present the findings of the report, and allow interested members of the public – as well as a number of assembled overseas visitors – to debate the ­issues in it.Refreshments will be available­For more information go to www.eccr.org.uk/­­­If you are intending to come, please rsvp to ­comms@piplinks.org­Organised by the project consortium, inclu­ding ECCR, Indigenous Peoples Links­ (P­IPLinks) & Middlesex University School of Law­­­­­ Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:48:15 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article281.html ShareAction (previously FairPensions) ha­s produced an Investor Briefing following the publication of an Executive Summary, in January 2013, by the independent panel, IUCN to the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC).  The full report "Sustainable Remediation and Rehabilitation of Biodiversity and Habitats of Oil Spill Sites in the Niger Delta" is still not available to the general public.    ­ Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:46:55 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article280.html Newsletter (pdf) Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:33:44 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article279.html ­­ECCR is challenging Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) to have greater transparency in its forthcoming AGM arrangements and increased commitment to ensuring the voices of UK shareholders are heard. ECCR has expressed deep dissatisfaction (see press release) with RDS over its plan to restrict access to its 2013 AGM to shareholders who are present in The Hague and the ramifications this decision has for British shareholders in the com­pany. In previous years’ AGMs the company has allowed British shareholders to participate from Lond­on via a live audio-visual link. ­Please see related correspondence with RDS Company Secretary, Michiel Brandjes ­­Letter to Michiel Brandjes dated 26 02 2013 (pdf)­­Reply dated 07 03 2013 (pdf)and link to an article by Inside Investor Relations, following on from the ECCR press release. Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:29:00 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article278.html ­­­­­­The ­UK Investment and Finance Association are holding an­ ­­Ownership ­Day­ ­­on Tuesday 12 March 2013.­­­Ownership Day is a new national initiative to raise ­awareness of the benefits of active ownership strategies in investment management.  ­­Find out more ...­­­­ Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:43:31 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article277.html ­­March 2013­ ­­Successful campaign to give regulation teethSupermarkets and Israeli settlement goodsSupermarket pricing: the need for change­Enough Food For Everyone IFRead thi­s issue (pdf)­­­ Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:35:41 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article276.html ­­­­I­n 2011 ECCR released 'Hotels,­ Sex Trafficking, and London 2012'.  Commissioned by CCLA, the reported showed how hotel companies can become implicated in the crime of human sex trafficking and outlined what Whitbread and Intercontinental Hotel Group, the FTSE's two largest hotel groups, were doing to respond­ to this issue. The report marked the beginning of a successful process of engagement with the two companies, both of which worked to mitigate the risk of their facilities being used for child sex trafficking during the London Olympic Games and beyond. Read the latest update here­­ Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:37:47 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article275.html ­­­­Newsletter (pdf) Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:47:46 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article274.html D­ecember 2012­­­ ­­The economic order: theological reflectionsTime for ethics: moral framework for businessA right relationship with money: Church of Scotland reportIt's time to close the gapRead thi­s issue (pdf)­­­ Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:13:36 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article273.html Newsletter (pdf) Wed, 28 Nov 2012 10:20:05 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article272.html ECCR has published its recent submission to the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standard­s. Drawing on the findings of our 2011 report The Banks and Society: rebuilding trust, the submission advocates the need for both regulat­ory and cultural change within the banking sector.  It focuses on a range of issues including transparency, remuneration, risk management and the social and environmental impact of bank lending.­Download the full submission­. Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:16:52 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article271.html Today the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) coalition, of which ECCR is a member, and Friends of the Earth Europe launched a high-profile advert in the Financial Times urging key European decision makers to adopt strong oil, gas, mining and logging transparency laws in the face of fierce opposition from the oil industry.The laws would ensure that citizens and investors are able to benefit from greater transparency in natural resource deals struck between companies and governments.So much is at stake. If oil, gas, mining an­d logging companies published the payments they make to each government around the world and for every project, citizens would be empowered to track those financial flows to ensure taxes, royalties and other payments are used to benefit the whole country, rather than a select few. Investors would be able to assess risk more accurately with this data too.­Download the full advertisement or press release.­ If you would like to take positive action, Tearfund has an e-mail petition to Jo Swinson MP who is the BIS Minister with responsibility for negotiating these important EU transparency laws within the European Council. Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:22:43 +0000 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article270.html Newsletter (pdf) Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:13:00 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article269.html Together with Christian Brothers Investment Services and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, ECCR has released Corporate Approaches to Address Human Trafficking: Investor Recommendations to London Olympic Sponsors and Hospitality Companies.The report is one result of an engagement process which encouraged 20 Olympic sponsors and 13 hospitality companies to address human trafficking risks within their supply chains and spheres of influence. ­ Corporate Approaches to Address Human Trafficking highlights several positive examples of companies working to help eradicate these egregious human rights abuses.  The report also makes a number of recommendations including the need for companies to include human trafficking in human rights policies; expand their human rights programs to include responsible recruitment practices and improve public reporting.Download the full report or press release­ Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:30:32 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article268.html ­­­The Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR) announced today the appointment of John Arnold as Executive Director to help take the organisation forward in the next phase of its mission. John Arnold brings to ECCR extensive knowledge of the corporate sector and a wealth of experience in the practical application of Corporate Social Responsibility.  He moves to ECCR from his current post with the Fairtrade Foundation where he has been in charge of Partnerships and Programmes.  In this role he worked closely with the corporate sector in developing constructive and sustainable partnerships for change.   Prior to this he worked for a US based reinsurance group and also with management consultants, ULG Consultants, supporting a variety of private sector clients, non-governmental organisations and bilateral donors.Lee Coates, Chair of the Board of Trustees of ECCR, said “We are delighted to have John Arnold lead our team.  Our research and engagement with companies continues to have an impact on boardrooms and helps to bring about change in the way that companies operate.  John’s experience and gifts will enable ECCR to expand this work and develop our links with national and international partners.”­John Arnold commented “Today, people in the UK have increasing awareness of the influence that consumer choice has through initiatives such as Fairtrade. We are only just beginning to appreciate the influence that we can have as investors, for example through our pension funds. Ethical investment has now come of age and it is an exciting time to be joining ECCR.  The organisation plays a vital role in helping the church community and their members use their influence as investors to bring positive change in business practice.”­John Arnold will take up the role of Executive Director from November 1st. He will lead the ECCR team in developing research on company performance, training and supporting individual ECCR members and liaising with Church and other institutional investors to co-ordinate effective shareholder action.Media Contacts: - Lee Coates OBE, Chair of the Board of Trustees of ECCR.  Email: lvc@ethicalinvestors.co.uk  Tel. +44 (0)1242 539848Suzanne Ismail, Research Officer, ECCR.  Email research@eccr.org.uk   Tel. +44 (0) 20 7663 1055 Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:39:39 +0100 http://www.eccr.org.uk/Article267.html ­­­­­­­ECCR has recently written to UK Business Secretary Vince Cable expressing support for the Transparency of UK company supply chains (eradication of slavery) Bill. The Bill is due to undergo its Second Reading in the House of Commons on October 19th, the day after Anti-Slavery Day. If passed into legislation it would help to tackle slavery, forced labour, human trafficking and the worst forms of child labour by requiring large companies to provide an annual report to customers and investors about the actions they are taking to eradicate these human rights abuses from their supply chains. ECCR’s work on human trafficking has shown that whilst some companies have made significant efforts to help address this problem, many others need to do more in this respect.  Furth­ermore, transparency on this issue often leaves a lot to be desired.  This makes it very difficult for investors to assess the extent to which the companies in which they invest are effectively mitigating human trafficking risks.  It also creates an uneven playing field, potentially disadvantaging those companies which choose to disclose their actions.­The Transparency of UK company supply chains) Bill follows the same model as the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act which became effective at the start of 2012 and is operating well with the support of business and investors.  An equivalent mechanism for large companies operating in the UK would be a simple, yet effective, way of contributing to the fight against these human rights abuses. ­Help support this important legislative process.Individuals can write to their MP asking them to attend the Second Reading and support the Bill.  Please send copies of any letters you write to suzannei@quaker.org.uk ECCR will contacting corporate members about ways to support the Bill shortly.  If your organisation is interested in working with us on this issue please contact suzannei@quaker.org.uk­ Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:13:05 +0100