Nyhetsarkiv

17 Juni 2024 06:05

Reality Uncorked: New Swedwatch report highlights human rights issues in state-owned Systembolaget´s wine supply chain and calls for strengthened sustainability efforts

A new Swedwatch report, based on interviews conducted at four farms in the Western Cape in South Africa by Swedwatch's project partner ILRIG, reveals pressing human rights violations, including harassment and threats, and health issues resulting from pesticide exposure – and urges state-owned wine retailers such as Systembolaget to conduct heightened due diligence.

20 Mars 2024 08:03

Swedwatch´s annual report – Highlights for 2023

In Highlights 2023, presented digitally this year, Swedwatch highlights some of the organization's key activities and outcomes throughout the year, aligned with the three long-term goals: responsible use of natural resources, sustainable and fair value chains, and an expanded civil space.

15 Februari 2024 10:26

A law regulating corporate responsibility for human rights is feasible – and in demand

According to Brussels sources, Sweden may be the only country planning to vote no to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). As several countries have yet to make a final decision, Sweden's vote may be critical for the final outcome.

25 Januari 2024 11:55

New president in Liberia – 10 % of the country’s land mass is conceded to a company from the UAE

Liberia's new president Joseph Boakai takes office this week after a historic peaceful election in November 2023. He wants to tackle corruption and review land concessions in the mining industry. At the same time, the company Blue Carbon LLC from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for huge forest land concessions for carbon credits in Africa, including i

25 Augusti 2023 07:05

Swedwatch welcomes landmark trial against Lundin Oil executives

The 5th of September marks a historic day as the trial against two former executives of oil company Lundin Oil, today Orrön Energy, begins. The executives are accused of complicity in grave war crimes in Sudan from 1999 to 2003. Meanwhile, an OECD-led mediation process relating to the sale of major Lundin assets is ongoing in Norway, a process in which Swedwatch is taking part.

8 Juni 2023 15:46

Swedwatch: Updated OECD Guidelines demand more from companies

An updated version of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, adopted by OECD member countries, has been published. It has been over ten years since the last update, and the guidelines now place stronger requirements on companies on several areas, including the environment and climate. The new guidelines are welcomed by Swedwatch, which has contributed to provide input.

24 Maj 2023 08:00

Swedwatch´s annual report – highlighs for 2022

The responsibility of companies to uphold human rights when sponsoring big sporting events, expectations on duty bearers to safeguard the right to a healthy environment and the role of business in sustaining peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone, were among the topics researched by Swedwatch in 2022.

28 April 2023 12:03

Joint statement: AFRY’s decision to leave Myanmar welcome but concerns remain

The Swedish engineering firm AFRY has announced its intention to withdraw from Myanmar. In a joint statement Swedwatch and four other civil society organisations welcome the move to stop doing business with the military junta but remain deeply concerned about AFRY’s delayed response and failure to realise the gravity of its dealings with the Myanmar military. 

27 April 2023 08:00

EU must urgently review its outdated policy on export credits

Despite promises to make financial flows consistent with a low-carbon economy, EU member states continue to provide financial support to the fossil fuel industry through export credits. It is time that the EU Commission replaces its outdated policy with new and ambitious regulation, prohibiting export support to oil and gas, says Swedwatch in a policy paper published today.

11 April 2023 06:03

New EU law on corporate due diligence must cover the full value chain

In a new policy paper, Swedwatch together with SOMO, ECCHR, OECD Watch and ECCJ call on EU lawmakers to include downstream due diligence obligations in the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), drawing on multiple case studies which highlight how companies could and should have prevented human rights impacts across their value chains.

27 Februari 2023 14:08

Swedwatch endorse proposal for the OECD to end export finance support for oil and gas

One week before international negotiators meet at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris to discuss aligning export finance with international climate goals, Swedwatch together with more than 175 civil society organizations (CSOs) from over 45 countries have released a Joint Position calling on world leaders to end OECD export finance for oil and gas.

29 November 2022 06:05

Swedwatch’s 10 key considerations to enhance socially sustainable public procurement

Strengthen the EU public procurement directive from 2014 and make it mandatory to enforce human rights requirements in public contracts - Swedwatch has identified 10 key considerations that carry opportunities to enhance public procurement as a tool to mitigate and prevent human rights and environmental impacts in public sector supply chains.