A crackdown on multinational corporations by Australian authorities has been described as “the first of its kind in the world”, with Google, Apple and Microsoft firmly in their sights. Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey announced the plans on the eve of the Australian budget, saying that it was “pretty evident” which companies would be targeted. If passed by parliament, the moves will see the Australian Tax Office given greater powers to recover taxes from large multinational corporations, which will include higher fines the power to impose taxes on diverted profits. It was not specified exactly how much the government anticipated the measures to raise, but Hockey insisted that it was “about the integrity of the Australian taxation system”. Hockey also announced a new ‘Netflix tax’, which will force streaming service providers to implement a 10% goods and services tax (GST) on subscription charges. (Blue and Green Tomorrow)
Technology and Innovation
Innovation programme to explore green technologies for data centres in Singapore
As part of the Singapore government’s vision of becoming a ‘Smart Nation’, the use of and reliance on data centres for areas such as cloud services, data analytics and the Internet of Things is predicted to increase. The effective use of resources is therefore critical, given that data centres have a large energy footprint, made larger in Singapore’s tropical climate. The Infocomm Development Authority (IDA)’s new Green Data Centre Innovation Programme (GDCIP) is the first of its kind in Singapore, and follows the launch of the Green Data Centre Roadmap in late 2014. It aims to boost the competitiveness of the data centre industry by raising overall energy efficiency, and catalysing the development and adoption of innovative green data centre related products, solutions and services. IDA has announced collaborations with Dell, Hewlett Packard, Huawei and IBM to engage in prototyping short- and long-term solutions for data centres. (NetworksAsia)
Environment
Apple announces WWF forest partnership in China alongside supply chain goals
Apple CEO Tim Cook began his visit to China this week by announcing a new environmental initiative — to protect as much as one million acres of managed working forests in the country through a World Wildlife Fund partnership. The project is Apple’s largest project of its kind, and may help save both managed and non-managed forests, said Cook. The multi-year project aims to make pulp, paper and wood products more sustainable, and joins the high-tech giant’s expanding renewable energy and environmental protection initiatives in China. “This area is one where we can make a significant contribution,” said Cook, adding that Apple is in a unique position because of its expertise, passion, and employees’ skills. Apple has vowed to achieve a net-zero impact on the world’s supply of sustainable virgin fibre, and has also expanded its goal of 100% renewable energy to cover its entire supply chain. (Eco-Business)
Health
California may require warnings on products containing chemical BPA
Plastic drinking bottles, canned goods and other items containing the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) distributed in California might soon be required to carry a label disclosing that the compound can cause reproductive harm to women. The decision by a board of scientific experts to include BPA on a list of chemicals known to cause harm is the latest in a years-long dispute between state experts and the chemical industry, which says the substance is safe. The decision was welcomed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, which called it “an important step forward in protecting public health.” But the non-profit Center for Accountability in Science said the decision highlights the “sheer ridiculousness” of California’s law on chemical disclosure. “Regulators are just stirring up more needless fear about safe products,” said Joseph Perrone, the group’s chief science officer. (Reuters)
Governance
EU motion calls for mandatory human rights due diligence for companies
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have adopted a motion calling for a resolution on mandatory human rights due diligence for corporations. The motion coincides with the second anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse and demands the Council to consider the necessity of new EU legislation “to create a legal obligation of due diligence for EU companies outsourcing production to third countries, including measures to secure traceability and transparency”. Groundbreaking proposals by some MEPs also call “on the Council and the Commission to include a mandatory and enforceable CSR clause in all bilateral trade and investment agreements signed by the EU, which would bind European investors to the principles of CSR“. The resolution sets a precedent that may lead to a request to the European Commission by the European Parliament for a legislative proposal. (Business and Human Rights Resource Centre)
Image Source: ZhangjiajieNP1 by Severin Stalder/CC BY-SA 3.0
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