Corporate Watch Australia - News Archive

New Corporate Watch Guide: "How to Research a Corporation"

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:20:39 -0600

Corporate Watch Australia have just released a new guide to researching Ausralian Corporations working here an d overseas..

To view the guide, please download the file here:

Download:
How to Research a Corporation.pdf (303.78 KB)

Melbourne-based miner OceanaGold accused of strong arm tactics in Philippines

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:23:45 -0600

A Melbourne based mine operator has been accused by Filipino villagers of harassment and the use of strong arm tactics to pressure them to accept its plans to develop a large gold and copper mine, according to a new report published today by Oxfam Australia.

Oxfam Australia raised these concerns with the company, most recently in July 2007, and recommended they investigate. But to date the mining company has failed to address community grievances. In the absence of an adequate company response, Oxfam is now making public the findings of its investigation.

Fair Go on Fees

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:54:35 -0600

CHOICE has joined with Consumer Action Law Centre in running a campaign against the exorbitant fees charged by banks and is providing advice on reclaiming these fees.

www.fairfees.com.au also provides the "low down" on fees, asks you to speak out against fees and encourages you to tell your story.

To Have And Have Not

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:11:52 -0600

In the lead up to the G8 conference in Heiligendamm the Heinrich Boell Foundation, together with the German Federal Minister Wieczorek-Zeul, launched its Memorandum "To Have and Have Not" concerning the world-wide challenges in the resource sector.

The memorandum, outlines the challenges of global resource governance in the 21st Century, focusing on Africa where natural resource wealth has failed to create wealth for local populations, and in fact has resulted in increased corruption, human rights abuses and even violent conflict. It describes the economic, social and ecological implications of resource exploitation and relates that to other challenges such as preventing dangerous climate change, improving investment conditions and promoting democracy.

You can read the full report at: http://www.boell.de/downloads/resource/Boell_Memo_en.pdf.

The Corporate Responsibility Index

Wed, 23 May 2007 23:26:36 -0600

The results of the fourth Australian Corporate Responsibility Index is out again with Westpac taking the top prize again.

You can read it all at http://www.corporate-responsibility.com.au/.

The European Commission extends legal obligations in relation to corporate accountability

Thu, 17 May 2007 19:54:33 -0600

The European Parliament has passed a bill on Corporate Social Responsibility that came out of a report by the Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition which criticised the voluntary approach to CSR and that "new laws are needed to ensure that all business operates fairly under strong environmental and social law, business cannot regulate itself."

The Commission passed a resolution to:

Extend the responsibility of directors of companies with more than 1 000 employees to encompass the duty for the directors themselves to minimise any harmful social and environmental impact of companies' activities;
Bring forward a proposal for social and environmental reporting to be included alongside financial reporting requirements;
Implement a mechanism by which victims, including third-country nationals, can seek redress against European companies in the national courts of the Member States;

You can read the report here.

Why Corporate Social Responsibility is failing Children

Thu, 17 May 2007 19:47:59 -0600

In a report undertaken by Save the Children and the Corporate Responsibility Coalition have released a report, Why Corporate Social Responsibility is failing Children.

The report raises serious concerns about the three voluntary codes that they review, concluding the "the codes have worked effectively only in instances where there has been strong government involvement through legislation and enforcement."

State Responsibilities to Regulate and Adjudicate Corporate Activities under the United Nations’ core Human Rights Treaties

Wed, 16 May 2007 18:32:24 -0600

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has released a report on the responsibilities of individual countries to regulate corporate activities according to the UN's core human rights treaties. The report makes a series of general recommendations regarding legislation, monitoring, adjudication, effective remedy, reparation, sanctions or penalties as well as educational and promotional measures.

The full report can be read here.

Wanted: Researchers

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:22:29 -0700

We are looking to build a team of volunteer researchers to help us with this work. I'm writing to you to ask you to pass on the details to your students and colleagues.

With the university year just starting we are hoping to attract a handful of enthusiastic students to do research into a wide variety of areas that relates to Australian corporations and corporations operating in Australia.

Global Reporters 2006 Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 17:18:48 -0700

BHP Billiton has ranked 12th in the Global Reporters 2006 Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility. Three other Australian companies ranked in the top 50. The other Australians in the top 50 were Rio Tinto, Westpac and financial cooperative mecu.

The reports are built around the SustainAbility/UNEP benchmark methodology. Each company was rated on 29 criteria, including how well it explained its activities and their associated economic, environmental and social impacts; the governance of sustainability performance; and the integration of sustainability into business strategies.

The full report can be found at: http://www.sustainability.com/insight/global_reporters.asp

Sweatshop Awards for excellence in avoiding transparency and accountability

Sun, 11 Feb 2007 19:25:55 -0700

The annual Sweatshop Award is given to an Australian company who has excelled in non-compliance and avoiding Fairwear's efforts to make the garment industry fairer for home-based outworkers.

Vote online at: www.sweatshopaward.com

Number and Characteristics of Australian Exporters

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 20:16:45 -0700

Dennis Trewin has released a report for the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the number and characteristics of Australian exporters. The report provides a useful snapshot of the export activities of Australian corporations over the 2004/05 financial year. You can find it at: http://www.abs.gov.au/

Bank Check

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 22:39:25 -0700

The Financial Sector Union has recently launched it's new Bank Check website.

BankCheck gives you the inside track on how your bank treats their workers and your sensitive personal information. By shining a light on these practices the site gives you information you can use in choosing which bank to entrust with your money.

The site is an independent reference point with information on off-shoring of jobs and data; employment practices and consumer rights.

For more details visit www.bankcheck.net.au/