There are several fantastic organizations around the world that address issues of human rights abuses, supply chains, and corporate accountability. Here is a just sample of the ones we find to be a strong resource and a brief description (where available, from their official sites). If you know of more that we should add to our list, give us a shout!
In the United States:
And Outside of the U.S.:
If you have more to add, let us know!
In the United States:
- CSRWire - “the leading source of corporate social responsibility and sustainability news, reports, events, and information.” (Also a B Corp! Read what that means here.)
- The Corporate Research Project – “a non-profit center that assists community, environmental and labor organizations in researching and analyzing companies and industries. The Project is designed to be a resource to aid activism. Consequently, our focus is on strategic research, i.e., identifying the information activists can use as leverage to get business to behave in a socially responsible manner.” Their company-specific Rap Sheets can be found here and the Dirt Diggers blog also has info here.
- ICAR (International Corporate Accountability Roundtable) – “ICAR harnesses the power of the human rights community to identify and promote robust frameworks for corporate accountability, strengthen current measures and defend existing laws, policies and legal precedents.” Based in Washington, DC.
- The Center for Global Development - a research organization that addresses many issues, but which we appreciate especially for its nuanced look at fair trade issues with Kimberly Ann Elliott.
- The International Labor Rights Forum [http://www.laborrights.org/] – “an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide.” Based in Washington, DC.
- The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility [http://www.iccr.org/] – which aims to “build[] a more just and sustainable world by integrating social values into investor actions.”
- Public Justice’s Consumers’ Rights Project[http://publicjustice.net/Key-Issues-Cases/Consumers-Rights.aspx][NOTE: this link does NOT work] – which aims to ensure that American consumers are “treated fairly and honestly” and brings court cases that impact consumer law.
- The Shift Project [http://www.shiftproject.org/] - Shift is an independent, non-profit center for business and human rights practice that helps governments, businesses and their stakeholders put the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights [http://www.shiftproject.org/page/un-guiding-principles-business-and-human-rights] into practice. Shift was established in July 2011, following the unanimous endorsement of the Guiding Principles by the UN Human Rights Council, issued by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Business and Human Rights, Professor John Ruggie (who is now Chair of the Shift Board of Trustees).
- The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia [http://www.osfphila.org/] – read this New York Times article to learn more about their work.
And Outside of the U.S.:
- The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre [http://www.business-humanrights.org/Home] - a website that “covers the social and environmental impacts of over 5000 companies, operating in over 180 countries. Taking international human rights standards as its starting point, topics covered include discrimination, environment, poverty and development, labour, access to medicines, health and safety, security, trade.”
- ACAN (Australian Corporate Accountability Network) [http://acan.org.au/]– “aims to be the peak body for corporate accountability in Australia. Comprised of a network of organisations and individuals, ACAN conducts research and advocates for greater corporate accountability for businesses operating in Australia and Australian corporations operating abroad.”
- CNCA (Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability) [http://www.halifaxinitiative.org/content/canadian-network-corporate-accountability-about]– “aims to enhance the effectiveness of its members’ activities through information sharing, policy analysis and research, and to coordinate joint advocacy for legal and policy reform. The CNCA also seeks to promote public awareness of these issues.” Also seeks “the adoption of federal legislation that establishes mandatory corporate accountability standards for Canadian extractive companies that operate abroad. The provision of government support to Canadian corporations should be conditional on compliance with these standards.”
- CORE (The Corporate Responsibility Coalition) [http://corporate-responsibility.org/]- “an alliance of voluntary organisations, trade unions and companies [whose] vision is of a world where all companies demonstrate respect for the rights of workers, local communities and the environment throughout their operations.” Based in the UK.
- ECCJ (European Coalition for Corporate Justice) [http://www.corporatejustice.org/]– “promotes corporate accountability by bringing together national platforms of civil society organizations (CSOs) including NGOs, trade unions, consumer advocacy groups and academic institutions from all over Europe. ECCJ represents over 250 CSOs present in 15 European countries…”
If you have more to add, let us know!