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Volksbank wants to implement gender improvements
From glass ceilings to factory floors
Dutch banks fail to act on gender equality
Dutch banks still have far to go to realise gender equality in both their internal operations and their client and investee relationships. This is the conclusion of a new study SOMO conducted for the Fair…
European Parliament adopts far-reaching resolution to protect children in mica mines
Is Ethiopia becoming the “new Myanmar” of the garment industry?
Ethiopia is often called the fashion industry’s new hub, or even the “new Myanmar”. However, growth projections of the Ethiopian government are not being met, and the growth expectations of Western brands and retailers are…
Let the energy transition be a fair and truly sustainable transition
Ready to engage?
A new publication by Oxfam Novib and SOMO brings together the current knowledge on the role of the private sector in fragile and conflict-affected settings, as well as practical guidance on what civil society’s engagement…
Ready to engage?
Human Rights in Wind Turbine Supply Chains Update 2019
Child labour in Madagascar’s mica sector
Governmental action against the Indonesian palm oil industry
Quick scan of the linkages between the Ethiopian garment and leather industry and the Dutch market
Plastic Finance
Affordable medication leaves biggest Dutch insurers cold
Aegon and Allianz have invested a total of no less than 11 billion euros in 19 pharmaceutical companies in 2019 without encouraging them to reduce high drug prices. These insurers also lack the commitment to…
Taming big Pharma
The EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement
Investment Funds
Dutch banks unconsciously allow consumers to invest in palm oil companies
Private investors have been investing unwillingly and unintentionally in palm oil companies for years. By investing in funds offered by ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank, they invest in these companies without being informed about this…
First-ever OECD complaint on tax avoidance filed against Chevron’s shell companies
In a ground-breaking development, the first ever OECD Guidelines case on corporate tax avoidance was filed against the Dutch shell companies of American oil giant Chevron. The complaint highlights Chevron’s use of Dutch letterbox companies…
Child labour widespread in production of cars and electronics
Commissioned by Terre des Hommes, SOMO researched the worldwide extraction of mica, a mineral with unique, shiny, heat-resistant and insulating properties, and its extensive use in the automotive and electronics industry. Yet producers of these…
Global mica mining and the impact on children’s rights
Raw materials for wind turbines must be more sustainable
The extraction of raw materials (such as copper and iron) for wind turbines is often accompanied by environmental damage and human rights violations in extractive countries. SOMO researched the sources of raw materials for wind…