Nike called out for doing business with slave cotton company
Uzbek human rights activists, political leaders, and prominent dissidents released an open letter today calling on Nike to stop doing business with Daewoo International, the largest processor of forced labour cotton in Uzbekistan. The 141 signatories, many of whom have been tortured or imprisoned by the current Uzbek regime for speaking out against human rights abuses, are asking Nike to follow the lead of several major apparel companies that have taken action to remove Daewoo International from their supply chains. The letter describes the recent death of an 18-year-old, who was beaten by police officers when he left his assigned cotton field before meeting his cotton picking quota. (CSR Wire)
Environment
National Trust unveils £35 green energy plan
The National Trust is to spend up to £35m powering dozens of its historic properties with wood-fuelled boilers, water turbines and other alternative energy sources. The trust says the move it says will eventually save it more than £4m a year. The Trust has struck a deal with Good Energy which aims to sign up its members to the renewables supplier’s dual fuel tariff and will pay £40 a year for each customer the charity signs up. This money will help cover the £3.5m the trust is investing in five pilot projects this financial year. (Financial Times*)
Policy & Research
India hits back at U.S. over green energy incentives
India hit back at U.S. accusations of trade restrictions in its solar industry on Wednesday, suggesting Washington was guilty of the banned practices, in a move that may deepen divides between giants of the developing and developed world. India asked Washington to justify incentives offered to U.S. companies to use local labour and products in renewable energy and water projects, in filings to the World Trade Organization published on Wednesday. India’s request for information came two months after the United States launched a trade dispute about incentives offered to local suppliers in India's solar industry. (Indian Express)
Supply Chain
Emerging risks report released
The Supply Chain Risk Leadership Council (SCRLC) has published its first ever emerging risks report. The report, Emerging Risks in the Supply Chain 2013, aims to help organisations identify the risks that may have a major impact on them. It is designed to encourage planning to improve resilience against risks such as climate change, gender imbalance and population growth. The council has also launched a risk analysis tool, the Supply Chain Risk Maturity Model which assesses different criteria such as a company’s ability to handle its supply chain. Members of the SCRLC include Rolls Royce plc, Cisco, GE, The Coca-Cola Company and Procter & Gamble. (Supply Chain Standard)
Social Investments
Savii Group launches programme to link NGOs and corporates
Savii Group, an innovator in expense management, today unveiled their new ‘Partnership Pledge Programme’ (P3) to bridge the gap that exists between non-profits and corporate donors. Formulated for both corporations and non-profits, the P3 strategy engages Savii Group’s expertise in freeing up capital companies didn’t know they had and couples it with Corporate Social Responsibility to increase the corporate value of for-profits and non-profit organizations. “Savii Group’s new P3 programme makes it painless for corporations to become involved with non-profits and enables them to reclaim capital… all while creating sustainable, new revenue” states Gina Manis-Anderson, founder of Savii Group. (CSR Wire)
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