Kategorier: pressreleases in english

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.

17 November 2022 06:10

“Caught Offside” - New Swedwatch briefing calls on sport sponsors to uphold human rights

Companies that use sport sponsorships to advertise their products or services have an important role to play in preventing and mitigating human rights impacts. A new briefing by Swedwatch urges these companies to learn lessons from the World Cup in Qatar by incorporating human rights in future sponsorship agreements.

3 November 2022 07:00

Swedwatch at COP27: The transition must have human rights at the center

The climate crisis is among the most critical and complex issues our planet and its people face. COP27 offers a defining moment to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. But this transition will fail if it focuses only on being fast, and not on also being just. This is also the topic for an official side event arranged by Swedwatch and Swedish Society for Nature Conservation at COP27.

22 Juni 2022 06:01

New report on how companies impact the environment, women’s rights and social conflict in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Liberia and Sierra Leone have identified economic growth, sustainable management of natural resources and inclusion of women as central to peace and prosperity. Still, new research findings from Swedwatch show that business activities in land concession areas come with adverse impacts on human rights and the environment, contributing to conflict in already fragile settings.

31 Maj 2022 13:01

Lundin Energy: Swedwatch files complaints against Aker BP and Aker ASA for failing to comply with the OECD guidelines

Thousands of people whose human rights were impacted by the operations of Swedish oil company Lundin Energy could end up without remedy when the company sells its assets to Norwegian Aker BP. Today, Swedwatch and seven other NGOs file a complaint against Aker BP and its owner Aker ASA for failing to comply with the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises.

25 November 2021 00:00

Towards increased transparency in the pharmaceutical supply chain

Industrial emissions from manufacturing of medicines are often associated with environmental pollution, adversely impacting ecosystems and human health. However, opaque supply chains make it impossible to hold polluters to account. In a new policy paper, Swedwatch calls on EU policymakers to strengthen their oversight on industrial emissions in the pharmaceutical sector.
Pharmaceuticals ar

18 November 2021 06:00

COP26 commitments welcomed but the outcome lacks substance in the most important areas

Denounced by many as one of the least inclusive in the history of climate negotiations, COP26 narrowly avoided failure by adapting the Glasgow Climate Pact at the very last minute. However, due to its several compromises, the most encouraging deals were those closed in parallel initiatives.
After nearly two weeks of negotiations, global leaders at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow managed

11 November 2021 06:00

Swedwatch welcomes historic indictment against Swedish oil company executives

The chairman and former CEO of Swedish oil company Lundin Energy have been indicted for their involvement in international crimes, allegedly perpetrated between 1999 and 2003 during the civil war in Sudan. Swedwatch welcomes the indictment and urges the company and its shareholders to finally compensate the victims.
Between 1997 and 2003, Lundin Energy (then Lundin Oil) prospected for oil in so

26 Oktober 2021 00:00

Blood oil: The role of past investors in delivering access to justice

For more than ten years, a prosecutor has investigated the role that Swedish oil company Lundin Energy played in war crimes allegedly committed in the company’s concession area during the civil war in Sudan. For decades, the victims of these events have been waiting for justice. But what responsibility do the financial institutions that invested in the company have?
2021 marks the 10th annivers

Visa mer Loading...