Today, I would like to share with you five of the best web sites for researchers attempting to undertake human rights research in the context of business analysis. As more attention is paid to non-financial factors in analyzing public companies from an investor perspective, the need for better data and analysis becomes critical. The following sources provide researchers with valuable information for conducting this sort of research.
Corp Watch
Like its name suggests, Corp Watch is a global watchdog group for corporate activity around the world and is an excellent source for researching global companies or the environmental or social impacts of a particular industry. Information found on the site is based on news, as well as first-hand accounts from people who are directly affected by corporate-led globalization and others fighting for corporate accountability, human rights, social and environmental justice. The site provides analysis, and action alerts in addition to research tools for conducting on-line research.
The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
(www.business-humanrights.org)
This source is probably the most comprehensive in terms of the scope of companies (over 4000 companies in 180+ countries) the website tracks. The site is updated hourly with both positive and negative accounts of company human rights impacts and information is gleaned from a number of sources including news accounts, regional researchers, international advisers, academic partners, and a wide range of reports published by NGOs, as well as governmental and international organizations. The Centre seeks responses to allegations from the companies in question in an attempt to provide balanced reporting and when possible publishes information in both English and non-English languages. “Custom Alerts” also help track news and reports about specific companies and subjects.
SoliComm
SoliComm is a labor movement search engine and a communication system that searches only union and union-related sites worldwide. Registration is required to search the site-accessed database. The site also offers information in several languages and includes links to the International Trade Union Confederation (http://www.ituc-csi.org/) and Global Unions (http://www.global-unions.org/) websites.
United Nations Global Compact Participant Search
www.unglobalcompact.org/ParticipantsAndStakeholders/)
The UN Global Compact is a voluntary framework for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. Rather than acting as a regulatory instrument, the Compact relies on the public accountability and transparency of companies in regards to labor and civil society in pursuing the principles upon which the Global Compact is based. The site’s participatory search function enables one to search voluntary signatories (i.e., companies and countries) to the Compact including links to companies’ annual Communications on Progress (COP). Indicators reveal whether a participant has failed to develop a COP by the relevant deadline or has not yet provided a link to a COP. Since its official launch in 2000, the initiative has grown to more than 5600 participants, including over 4300 businesses in 120 countries around the world.
International Labor Rights Forum
ILRF is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide. The website highlights some of the most egregious labor rights abuses around the world by companies such as Firestone, Cargill & ADM, Wal-Mart, and Nestlé. Through strategic partnerships with NGOs around the world, the ILRF seeks to disclose labor rights abuses and raise public awareness about international labor issues through campaigns around child labor, working women’s rights, sweatshops, and violence against trade unions.
All of these sites offer ways to stay informed about the issues through various subscription services (updates, news, action alerts, newsletters etc.). If you have resources you would like to share, we invite you to do so by commenting to this post.
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