Profundo - Human rights

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Besides investing in countries with repressive regimes, companies can get involved with the violation of human rights in different ways. This can happen when the companies themselves or their suppliers have bad and dangerous labour conditions, long working hours, low wages or the lack of freedom to unite and organize trade unions. But human rights can also be violated when agricultural, forestry or mining companies ban the local or indigenous communities from their areas. As their landrights are being violated, which are often based on the traditional laws, and they lose their means of existence.

Profundo analyses how the rights of employees and local communities within the different commodities and supply chains, are being violated. Profundo also researches which financial institutions are involved with such chains.

Date	Projects
18 March 2007 Copper, Gold, Human rights, Pension funds, Pulp & paper, Soy, Weapons	Controversial investments by Dutch pension funds Study into the investments by Dutch pension funds in military companies producing cluster munition and landmines, companies which severely damage the environment and in companies sourcing products which are produced with the help of child labour. Client: Zembla Document(s): Responsible Investor: How a TV documentary on cluster bombs became an ESG benchmark, 17 January 2008
10 June 2007 Asset managers, Banks, Copper, Gold, Human rights, Oil & gas, Weapons	Financing of some controversial companies by Dutch banks Quick scan on the financing of some controversial companies, weapons producers and companies seriously polluting the environment, by Dutch banks. Client: Zembla
1 July 2006 Banks, Human rights	Financing of G-star Research on the banks and institutional investors that finance the human rights-violating jeans producer G-star. Client: India Committee of the Netherlands
10 October 2007 Asset managers, Banks, Copper, Gold, Human rights, Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes	The financing of companies violating human rights Study on the involvement of financial institutions in the financing of companies which violate human rights or labour rights, or which are doing business with oppressive regimes. Client: BankTrack, Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen:New report reveals alarming investment practices by financial groups: 12 December 2007 Report Urgewald: Deutsche Bank: Ein fragwürdiges Markenzeichen, May 2008
13 November 2007 Human rights, Weapons	The impacts of cluster munition and landmines on children Study on the long term consequences of the use and presence of landmines and cluster munitions on the lives, well-being and development potential of children. Client: UNICEF Netherlands Document(s): Spits: Unicef: Ruim miljard kinderen bloot aan geweld, 13 November 2007
19 December 2007 Banks, Climate change, Coal, Gold, Human rights, Hydropower, Oil & gas, Oppressive regimes, Palm oil, Pulp & paper, Shrimps, Soy, Timber, Weapons, Whitefish	Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks A benchmark of the credit policies of the 45 largest international banks in the world, with regard to 7 sensitive sectors - agriculture, weapons, forestry, fishery, oil & gas, mining and dams - and 7 crucial issues - biodiversity, climate change, toxics, labour, human rights, rights of indigenous people, and taxes. The policies were compared with existing international regulations and standards: international agreements and conventions, guidelines framed in multi-stakeholder initiatives, etcetera. Client: BankTrack Document(s): The Banker: Article on the benchmark of the credit policies of the 45 largest international banks in the world, 1 February 2008 Press release BankTrack: Mind the Gap: BankTrack rates credit policies of 45 banks, 19 December 2007 Report BankTrack: Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks, December 2007 Executive summary report BankTrack: Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks, December 2007 Metro France: Le secteur bancaire en retard sur les critères environnementaux, 28 December 2007
1 October 2005 Asset managers, Banks, Human rights, Oppressive regimes	Belgian banks as shareholders of companies that are involved in human rights violations Research on the shares held by Belgian banks in companies that are involved in human rights violations. Client: Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: AXA invests heavily in new US landmine producers, 18 October 2005 Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: AXA invests heavily in new US landmine producers, 18 October 2005 Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: Belgian bank groups invest in companies that abuse human rights, January 2006 Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: Shareholders protest against ING investments in human rights abuses, 25 April 2006
10 March 2008 Coal, Human rights	The world behind coal power Research into the origin of the coal used in Dutch electricity plants. Client: Greenpeace Netherlands
1 August 2003 Human rights, Tantalum	Congolese 'blood tantalum' in our mobile phones Chain analysis of the origin of tantalum used for the manufacturing of mobile phones. Client: Consumentenbond
5 June 2008 Asset managers, Banks, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Weapons	The financing of companies violating human rights Research into the financing of companies involved in human rights violations by a number of banks active in Belgium. Client: Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Press release Netwerk Vlaanderen: Risk of harmful investments is too high for Belgian customers, 4 June 2008
19 February 2008 Coal, Copper, Diamond, Gold, Human rights, Platinum	Strategic policy analysis of African mineral commodity chains Analysis of strategic options which NiZA and its partners could use to improve the contribution of the mining sector to sustainable development in Africa. Client: Netherlands institute for Southern Africa (NiZA)
24 April 2008 Copper, Human rights, Platinum	Lobbying options for two African mining cases Startegic analysis of the lobbying options to improve the contribution to sustainable development of two African mining cases. Client: Netherlands institute for Southern Africa (NiZA)
6 March 2009 Human rights, Sustainable management	Researching and assessing the fairness of food products. Powerpoint presentation about the methodology and de sources for research, their relevance, priorities, weak links and criteria. Also short term and long term goals have been discussed.
3 February 2010 Human rights, Sustainable management	Options for company regulation on CSR This policy note describes a number of innovative regulatory options to ensure that Dutch companies, as well as their subsidiaries and their suppliers in foreign countries, will not be (jointly) responsible for severe breaches of human rights and excessive damage to the environment. Client: Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie)
30 October 2009 Human rights	Consultative Document on Business and Human Rights This text is an incentive for the Round Table on Budiness & Human Rights debate on the 9th of November 2009 in The Hague. It is about putting John Ruggie's five crucial challenges within his frame of Protect, Respect and Remedy. Client: Netherlands institute for Southern Africa (NiZA)