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August 03, 2016

Human Rights

“Blood mica”: Deaths of child workers covered up to keep industry alive

Deaths of seven children killed in India’s illegal mica mines have been covered up in the past two months, according to an investigation by Thomson Reuters Foundation. Families who chose not to report the deaths were promised payments by the mine operators. The investigation found child labour rife in mica mines, with small hands ideal to pick and sort the sparkly mineral. China’s economic boom and a global craze for “natural” cosmetics has created a lucrative black market for mica. British cosmetics company Lush, known for ethical trading, stopped using natural mica in 2014 due to concerns about child labour. But it discovered this year that the synthetic mica it was using instead had traces of natural mica. Estee Lauder also uses mica in its products, but said it only sourced 10 percent from India. Last week, a Guardian investigation linked illegal mines to global car companies including BMWVolkswagen and Audi. (Thomson Reuters Foundation)

 

Most banks failing to deliver on UN human rights principles

Most banks have made little progress towards meeting UN human rights principles introduced five years ago, and even the most advanced banks have significant gaps in their approach. This is the conclusion of a recent report published by NGO BankTrack. The report evaluates 45 of the largest banks globally on their progress towards integrating the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights into their policies, due diligence processes and reporting. More than half of the banks assessed scored 3 out of 12 or less, including major banks such as Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered and Bank of America. Rabobank and Citi topped the list, followed by ANZ, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and UBS. However even the frontrunners’ low scores indicate need for substantial progress. (BankTrack)

Employees

Research: Corporate reputation is key to recruitment

More than four fifths of workers would change their job to work for an employer with a better corporate reputation, new research has found. The Randstad Award 2016, the world’s largest public opinion survey, found that employers who appear attractive, who offer a competitive salary and benefits, a good atmosphere, long-term prospects and flexibility are more likely to have the pick of the top candidates. This translates into a 46 percent lower cost-per-hire than businesses without good branding and 28 percent lower staff turnover. “Companies who do well are generally the ones who create an attractive proposition for potential employees that they communicate effectively at recruitment stage but who also actually live up to the promises they make once people are hired,” said Mark Bull, Randstad’s UK and Middle East CEO. (Blue & Green Tomorrow)

 

Massachusetts bars employers from asking applicants’ salaries

In a ground-breaking effort to close the wage gap between men and women, Massachusetts has become the first state in the US to bar employers from asking about applicants’ salaries before offering them a job. The new law will require hiring managers to state a compensation figure upfront, based on what an applicant’s worth is to the company. By barring companies from asking prospective employees how much they earned at their last jobs, Massachusetts will ensure that the historically lower wages and salaries assigned to women and minorities do not follow them for their entire careers. The law will also require equal pay not just for workers whose jobs are alike, but also for those whose work is of “comparable character” or who work in “comparable operations.” (New York Times)

Strategy

UN officer: Silence on social issues could be the “kiss of death for brands”

Aaron Sherinian, chief marketing and communications officer for the United Nations Foundation, has warned brands that they can no longer stay silent on global social issues. “Silence on social issues could be the kiss of death for brands, especially [if you look at] the way that young customers are engaging with them right now. They’re going to vote at the cash register,” he explained. Sherinian also believes companies looking to stay quiet may soon go from being seen as neutral to being seen as complicit in the world’s problems. Sparked by WPP’s Sir Martin Sorrell and launched on the final day of Cannes Lions 2016, the Common Ground initiative has challenged the advertising industry’s “big six” to each incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals into their brand campaigns, as well as their everyday practices. (The Drum)

 

Image source: by Unsplash / CC0 Public Domain

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