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August 25, 2017

Human Rights

Global leaders commit to eradicating modern slavery

Global business leaders and politicians from 48 countries committed to ending human trafficking, forced labour and modern slavery at a landmark gathering of high-profile leaders in Australia. The forum, launched last year to expand public-private partnership, saw participation from the heads of U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart, Japan’s Mitsui and China’s JD.com, among others. The Global Slavery Index estimates that 45 million people around the world are victims of modern slavery and that two-thirds of these people were from the Indo-Pacific region. Australia has instigated two parliamentary inquiries into the adoption of a Modern Slavery Act and the government is waiting for the reports, said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. B ishop said the Australian government is looking to introduce the legislation “as soon as possible”- the laws will be inspired by the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015. (Reuters)

Corporate Reputation

Samsung heir found guilty of corruption and sentenced to five years in prison

Lee Jae-yong, the acting chairman of Samsung, has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of offering bribes and other crimes. Lee, who is South Korea’s third-richest man and heir to the Samsung empire, has been accused of offering $38m in bribes to four entities controlled by a close friend of the deposed South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, in return for political favours. The court said Lee had provided bribes anticipating support from Park, who was still president at the time. Park Sangin, a professor of economics at Seoul National University, said shortly before the verdict that “If Lee receives a heavy sentence, it can be seen as the shattering of the ‘too-big-to-jail’ trend of the past.” (Guardian)

Consumers

Global food firms join IBM blockchain project to improve traceability

A group of leading retailers and food companies including Nestlé, Unilever and Tyson Foods have teamed up under a major IBM-led collaboration to explore how blockchain technology can help strengthen the global food supply chain. IBM’s blockchain-based system enables every section of the food supply chain – growers, suppliers, processors, distributors, retailers, regulators and consumers – to quickly gain access to information on the origin and state of food. Every year, 400,000 people die and one in 10 people around the world fall ill due to contaminated food, yet it can take weeks to identify the precise point of contamination. The delay often leads to further illness, lost revenue and wasted products. (Business Green)

Policy and Research

Report: UK’s leadership role in the green economy hinges on an ‘ambitious’ Clean Growth Plan

The UK’s leadership role in the green economy is “far from guaranteed” due to delays in the Government’s Clean Growth Plan, which is set to be revealed in September. New analysis by Green Alliance, backed by a host of green groups, has urged the government to close current policy gaps and chart a trajectory for new policies that capture the economic and environmental benefits of Electric Vehicles (EV), renewables and green buildings. The report notes that the EV charging point market could be worth £18bn by 2030, yet the UK is criticised for its lack of charging infrastructure. Investment in renewables in the UK expected to peak at £6.2bn next year and the report warns that without clear policy guidance, this could fall by 95% to less than £0.3bn by 2021. (Edie)

Environment

Australian firm unveils plan to convert carbon emissions into ‘green’ concrete

An Australian pilot project capturing carbon emissions and storing them in building materials aims to have a full-scale production plant by 2020. Mineral Carbonation International (MCI), an Australian company developing carbon-utilisation technology, will officially launch its technology and research program at the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources on Friday. By 2020 MCI hopes to be producing 20,000 to 50,000 tonnes of the bonded material for building companies, and said it anticipates the process will be economically viable even without a high carbon price. In May the federal government said it would lift restrictions on the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to allow it to invest in carbon capture technology. (Guardian)

Image Source: Eicode Netherland at Wikimedia. CC3.0

 

 

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