Report on CSR Policy and Practices
SOMO (the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations) is a Dutch Non-Governmental Organisation which carries out different kinds of research for civil society use. In the period 2003-2004, SOMO has turned its attention to the financial sector, and has conducted research on two financial firms, the U.S. company Citigroup and the Dutch company ING Group. In the case of Citigroup, SOMO thought it was interesting to focus our research on the Asia Pacific region, and we selected researchers in Indonesia to conduct local investigations. The research was carried out as part of our 4-year program ‘Sector Research and Corporate Social Responsibility’, and has been cofinanced by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The other financier of the research was Novib (Oxfam Netherlands). read more lessrelated content
Groups react with dismay to FMO’s position statement on Financial Intermediaries, pointing to outstanding human rights and climate concerns
On October 13th 2022, FMO published the final version of its Position Statement on Impact and ESG for Financial Intermediaries (FI statement). As civil society groups which have engaged with FMO on this topic for…
FMO fails to meet best practices on financial intermediary lending
In a new Position Statement on Financial Intermediary (FI) Lending, Dutch development bank FMO argues for limited responsibility over the outcomes of investments that are channeled through commercial banks, investment funds, and other financial intermediaries,…
How Dutch pension are disposing of their Russian investments
Together with Follow the Money, SOMO investigated how pension funds are disposing of their investments in Russian bonds and shares. A month ago, PFZW (one of the biggest Dutch pension funds) and other pension funds…
Financially strong investor ready to take the Dutch housing market by storm
Blackstone has more than US$ 46.1 billion ready to buy worldwide real estate such as offices and residential property. Currently Blackstone is a small player in the Netherlands, but the company has the potential to…
Blackstone as new landlord
Why global financial decisions matter for women
How G20 finance decisions lead to global inequality
Good policy paper
Powerful financial industry lobby group frustrates structural debt relief for poorest countries
As the world’s poorest countries face dangerously high debt burdens, a powerful global interest group of the financial industry, the International Institute of Finance (IIF), frustrates structural debt relief initiatives by the G20. This is…