A new report from Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) and Environment Africa Zambia uncovers the origins of lead contamination in Kabwe, its impacts on children, and the case for corporate accountability Kabwe, in Zambia, is the world’s most polluted town, following more than a century of mining, mostly by Anglo American. The town and its...
This briefing outlines the urgent need for new UK legislation that responds to the gendered impacts of corporate abuse. Women, especially in the Global South, face disproportionate harm from exploitative labour practices, environmental destruction, land grabbing and gender-based violence. In the UK, there is growing demand for a new law requiring companies to prevent human...
There is growing and widespread support for a new law requiring businesses, and the public sector to conduct human rights and environmental due diligence. This includes support from parliamentarians, businesses, investors, civil society organisations and over 145,000 members of the public. To best meet this need, the UK Corporate Justice Coalition (CJC) is calling for...
Protecting and Realising the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant peoples and Local Communities in the Context of Business and Human Rights is a new position paper co-authored by Indigenous, Afro-descendant, local community and civil society leaders who stand up daily against business harms to their human rights and the environment – harms connected to UK...
Tea is a global industry employing around 13 million people, with production split between large estates and smallholder farmers—who account for about 60% of global output. Despite their critical role, tea growers and workers face significant challenges due to an unequal distribution of profits, exploitative business models, and a power imbalance in the supply chain....
The UK Government has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, yet UK financial institutions like HSBC continue to fund industries that exacerbate the climate crisis and violate human rights. Notably, HSBC’s financing of fossil fuel projects and industrial agriculture continues to drive climate destruction, affecting communities across the globe, particularly women and girls in...
This parliamentary briefing argues that we urgently need a new UK law to hold companies to account when they fail to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harms in their global value chains. A Business, Human Rights and Environment Act (BHREA) would: Plug the serious legal gaps that enable companies to profit from the UK’s...
5 December, 2024: As the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) enters into the 10th negotiation session for a legally binding treaty on business and human rights, we, the undersigned organisations, call on the UK government to constructively engage in these treaty negotiations while simultaneously pursuing mandatory legislation on a national level to fulfil its duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including by businesses.
Serious human rights abuses and environmental harms are still present in UK supply chains. The UK must urgently introduce a new law requiring all businesses and the public sector to prevent, address and remedy any harm to human rights, including labour rights, and the environment in their global value chains.[1] The Bill would: Enhance corporate...
