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  Monitoring 

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NEW (recent additions to this section; top item is most recent addition)

Kimberley Process still in process - Progress made, but key issues remain - Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) attending the First Plenary Meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) welcomed international commitment to take additional effective steps to break the link between diamonds and human rights violations and conflict in Africa. However, governments failed to take action on an element critical to the credibility of the Scheme - the need for regular, independent monitoring of all participants, to ensure that the process is not subject to abuse. (joint press release by Action Aid [UK and Sierra Leone], Amnesty International [International Secretariat], Cenadep [DRC], Fatal Transactions [The Netherlands], Global Witness [UK], Network Movement for Justice and Development [Sierra Leone], Oxfam International, Partnership Africa Canada [Canada] World Vision [USA], 30 Apr. 2003)

'Blood diamond' deadline set - The international group trying to stop the trafficking in "blood diamonds" has given countries until the end of July to join the effort or be excluded from the legal diamond trade. Representatives from 70 countries meeting in Johannesburg agreed to set a deadline of 31 July for nations to sign up for the certification system known as the Kimberley Process...But pressure groups remain sceptical, arguing the system lacks independent scrutiny and contains loopholes which could allow terrorist groups to fund their activities through diamond smuggling. (BBC News, 30 Apr. 2003)

Investing with an agenda - Calpers' social, corporate activism drawing attention in bear market as some fear its aggressive tactics may cost governments, firms money -...When the AIDS Healthcare Foundation wanted drug maker GlaxoSmithKline PLC to lower the $438 a person it charges in developing countries for a year's worth of AZT, it turned to an unlikely ally: America's largest pension fund...In its letter to Glaxo...Calpers praised the drug maker for ''established and effective humanitarian programs.'' But Calpers pressed Glaxo to ''immediately and continually evaluate the company's humanitarian efforts in light of a changing environment, including its response to the AIDS epidemic.'' Calpers wants Glaxo's findings to be scrutinized by an independent body like Doctors Without Borders. (Chris Gaither, Boston Globe, 20 Apr. 2003)

Conflict Diamonds the Achilles Heel of Canadian Diamond Industry - Statement to the Canadian diamond industry Issued by One Sky -...One Sky requests that leaders in the Canadian diamond industry publicly state their support for regular, independent monitoring and urge the Canadian government and diamond industry representatives at the Kimberley Process, such as the World Diamond Council, to do so as well. (One Sky, 15 Apr. 2003)

The Kimberley Process to curb conflict diamonds - Early Achievements, Congressional Action, Next Steps - Critical Challenges in Phase Two of the Kimberley Process (Rory More O'Ferrall, De Beers Group, remarks to Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC, 11 Apr. 2003)

Hindustan Lever Will Export Mercury Waste to USA [India] - Pollution control authorities in the southern Indian state of Tamilnadu have ordered Hindustan Lever Limited, a subsidiary of Anglo-Dutch multinational Unilever, to export to the United States 286 tons of waste contaminated with mercury from its controversial thermometer factory in Kodaikanal, now closed. The company has been directed to decontaminate the site and its surroundings to global standards. (Nityanand Jayaraman, Environment News Service, 31 Mar. 2003)

Guidelines:

The CCC Code of Conduct and criteria for implementation, monitoring and independent verification (Clean Clothes Campaign, Apr. 1999)

Fair Labor Association Charter Document

General Overall Principles of Independent Monitoring, in "Ensuring Monitoring is Not Coopted" (Elaine Bernard, Harvard Trade Union Program, 1997)

Global Reporting Initiative: June 2000 GRI Guidelines

The Human Rights Auditing Standards and Procedures Project (International League for Human Rights) 

Human Rights Guidelines for Companies (Amnesty International UK Business Group): see section entitled "Implementation and monitoring"

Monitors (WRAP [Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production])

The Requirements of Effective Independent Monitoring (Verité, Dec. 2000)

Social Accountability 8000 (Social Accountability International) 

Social Responsibility Training: ISEA-Accredited Foundation Course in Social & Ethical Accounting, Auditing & Reporting (National Centre for Business & Sustainability [UK], in partnership with Manchester Business School)

Websites:

Almost everything you always wanted to know about independent monitoring (Clean Clothes Campaign)

Corporate Codes of Conduct: Monitoring of the Codes (International Labour Organization) 

EMCOD - Is a European instrument of monitoring of social codes of conduct needed? (Madariaga European Foundation)

"External Monitoring" and "Internal Monitoring" materials, in Global Business Responsibility Resource Center (Business for Social Responsibility) Note: click "Human Rights" in column on left side of the website page which appears, then click "External Monitoring", "Independent Monitoring" or "Internal Monitoring".

Fair Labor Association

Global Reporting Initiative

Monitoring systems (Centro Nuovo Modello di Sviluppa)

Monitoring website (Clean Clothes Campaign)

Nike company website:

Reputation Assurance (PriceWaterhouseCoopers)

Social Accountability International

Social and Environmental Accounting (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants [ACCA])

SOMO: Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations

WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production)

Reports by monitoring bodies:

2nd Public Report Independent Monitoring Pilot Project with Liz Claiborne, Inc. (COVERCO [Commission for the Verification of Codes of Conduct, Guatemala], Aug. 2000)

Reebok releases in-depth report on conditions in Indonesian factories [includes full text of report] (Reebok, Oct. 1999) 

Summary of Inspection Findings for Evergreen Industries S.A. de C.V. and Formosa Textile S.A de C.V. Zona Franca San Bartolo, San Salvador, El Salvador (Verité, 1999)

Business and Human Rights: Global brands monitor manufacturing conditions worldwide (Doug Cahn [Vice President of Human Rights Programs, Reebok] and Tara Holeman [Associate Manager of Human Rights Programs, Reebok], Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, spring 1999)

Beginning to Just Do It: Current Workplace and Environmental Conditions at the Tae Kwang Vina Nike Shoe Factory in Vietnam (Dara O'Rourke and Garrett Brown, Mar. 1999)

Ernst & Young Environmental and Labor Practice Audit of the Tae Kwang Vina Industrial Ltd. Co., Vietnam (Ernst & Young, 13 Jan. 1997)

The Body Shop Values Report 1997 [including social audit independently verified by New Economics Foundation] (The Body Shop, 1997)

Social Evaluation: The Body Shop International - 1995  (Kirk Hanson, professor of business ethics, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, evaluation commissioned by The Body Shop, 1995)

Other materials:

2003:

Kimberley Process still in process - Progress made, but key issues remain - Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) attending the First Plenary Meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) welcomed international commitment to take additional effective steps to break the link between diamonds and human rights violations and conflict in Africa. However, governments failed to take action on an element critical to the credibility of the Scheme - the need for regular, independent monitoring of all participants, to ensure that the process is not subject to abuse. (joint press release by Action Aid [UK and Sierra Leone], Amnesty International [International Secretariat], Cenadep [DRC], Fatal Transactions [The Netherlands], Global Witness [UK], Network Movement for Justice and Development [Sierra Leone], Oxfam International, Partnership Africa Canada [Canada] World Vision [USA], 30 Apr. 2003)

'Blood diamond' deadline set - The international group trying to stop the trafficking in "blood diamonds" has given countries until the end of July to join the effort or be excluded from the legal diamond trade. Representatives from 70 countries meeting in Johannesburg agreed to set a deadline of 31 July for nations to sign up for the certification system known as the Kimberley Process...But pressure groups remain sceptical, arguing the system lacks independent scrutiny and contains loopholes which could allow terrorist groups to fund their activities through diamond smuggling. (BBC News, 30 Apr. 2003)

Investing with an agenda - Calpers' social, corporate activism drawing attention in bear market as some fear its aggressive tactics may cost governments, firms money -...When the AIDS Healthcare Foundation wanted drug maker GlaxoSmithKline PLC to lower the $438 a person it charges in developing countries for a year's worth of AZT, it turned to an unlikely ally: America's largest pension fund...In its letter to Glaxo...Calpers praised the drug maker for ''established and effective humanitarian programs.'' But Calpers pressed Glaxo to ''immediately and continually evaluate the company's humanitarian efforts in light of a changing environment, including its response to the AIDS epidemic.'' Calpers wants Glaxo's findings to be scrutinized by an independent body like Doctors Without Borders. (Chris Gaither, Boston Globe, 20 Apr. 2003)

Conflict Diamonds the Achilles Heel of Canadian Diamond Industry - Statement to the Canadian diamond industry Issued by One Sky -...One Sky requests that leaders in the Canadian diamond industry publicly state their support for regular, independent monitoring and urge the Canadian government and diamond industry representatives at the Kimberley Process, such as the World Diamond Council, to do so as well. (One Sky, 15 Apr. 2003)

The Kimberley Process to curb conflict diamonds - Early Achievements, Congressional Action, Next Steps - Critical Challenges in Phase Two of the Kimberley Process (Rory More O'Ferrall, De Beers Group, remarks to Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC, 11 Apr. 2003)

Hindustan Lever Will Export Mercury Waste to USA [India] - Pollution control authorities in the southern Indian state of Tamilnadu have ordered Hindustan Lever Limited, a subsidiary of Anglo-Dutch multinational Unilever, to export to the United States 286 tons of waste contaminated with mercury from its controversial thermometer factory in Kodaikanal, now closed. The company has been directed to decontaminate the site and its surroundings to global standards. (Nityanand Jayaraman, Environment News Service, 31 Mar. 2003)

AccountAbility Launches Assurance Standard for Corporate Responsibility Reporting - Investors and other stakeholders stand to benefit from the standardized verification of corporate reporting on social, environmental, and economic performance...As a complement to the launch of the AA1000 Assurance Standard, AccountAbility also released a report entitled The State of Sustainability Assurance. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 26 Mar. 2003)

Working conditions: Results of the monitoring of Chinese garments suppliers - The pilot project on independent monitoring set up by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and by Migros, Switcher and Veillon makes today public the reports on its follow-up visits to Chinese suppliers of these three Swiss companies (Press release of the Clean Clothes Campaign in Switzerland and the companies Migros, Switcher and Veillon, 19 Mar. 2003)

Union leader Somboon reinstated!! Action still needed on Gina Form Bra factory [Thailand] - GAP has reacted quickly to the organisations filing the complaint, and a monitoring team has visited twice and has also held meetings with the Union and other Thai organisations...CCC is pleased that the Gap is investigating this case and it taking an active role...WRAP has not reacted to the Unions complaint nor to letters of other organizations...La Senza is reportedly threatening to cease placing production orders with Gina Form Bra Company. The union DOES NOT want the brand label companies to withdraw orders and the factory to close...Victoria’s Secret [owned by the Limited Brands], K-mart and Boutique Jacob did not react at all. (Clean Clothes Campaign, 19 Mar. 2003)

External Monitor Gives Chiquita SA8000 Certification for Costa Rica Banana Farms - Chiquita Brands International Inc. said that Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI), an external auditing organization, has certified that Chiquita’s banana farms in Costa Rica meet the Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) labor standard. According to the AFX Global Ethics Monitor, BVQI has certified that Chiquita’s Costa Rica farms forbid the use of child and forced labor, guarantee the right to unionize, require a safe and healthy workplace and provide other safeguards for workers. (Business for Social Responsibility News Monitor summary of article in AFX Global Ethics Monitor, 18 Mar. 2003)

Ethics Organization Launched to Enhance Global Corporate Citizenship - International Center for Corporate Accountability Inaugurated - Will Create and Monitor Corporate Codes of Conduct -...ICCA will absorb the activities currently performed by MIMCO [Independent Monitoring Council that was created by Mattel, Inc. in 1997 in affiliation with Zicklin School of Business] and expand on them to encourage and assist other multinational corporations to create, implement and arrange independent monitoring of codes of conduct. (International Center for Corporate Accountability, 28 Feb. 2003)

"Human Rights and Corporate Accountability" (speech by Mary Robinson, Director of the Ethical Globalization Initiative, former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, at The Fund for Peace - Human Rights and Business Roundtable, 19 Feb. 2003)

CAMBODIA: World Bank Links Aid To Independent Environmental Monitoring - If Cambodia refuses to continue independent monitoring of its forestry management, it could lose a $20 million World Bank aid package, World Bank Cambodia head Ian Porter has said in comments published in Sunday's Washington Post. The statement follows Cambodian threats to cancel an agreement with environmental monitors from Global Witness. (UN Wire, 18 Feb. 2003)

After workers unionize, Puma cuts and runs from Mexico - ..."When the customers do audits of the factory, the company forces us to lie."...Matamoros Garment is a factory that produces uniforms for restaurants and hospitals in the United States under the Angelica label, and sports apparel for the German corporation Puma. (Campaign for Labor Rights, 5 Feb. 2003)

Deconstructing Engagement: Corporate Self-Regulation in Conflict Zones - Implications for Human Rights and Canadian Public Policy [includes sections on: case study of Talisman Energy in Sudan, "Talisman Energy's Corporate Social Responsibility Reports and Verification by PricewaterhouseCoopers", the liability of corporations under international law, "Domestic Disclosure and Corporate Laws", "Litigation", "Consumer and Investor Campaigns", codes of conduct, social reporting, verification/monitoring, "Emerging State Duty to Regulate the Extraterritorial Activities of Corporations"] (Georgette Gagnon, Audrey Macklin, Penelope Simons, A Strategic Joint Initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Law Commission of Canada, Jan. 2003)

2002:

Implementation Of A Worldwide Initiative For An Independent, Ethical Manufacturing Auditing Process - The International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) announces today the start of the implementation of a worldwide initiative for an independent, ethical manufacturing auditing process that will be implemented by toy manufacturers representing more than 95% of toys sold worldwide. (International Council of Toy Industries, 18 Dec. 2002)

Press release - Pilot project of the Clean Clothes Campaign (Switzerland): Findings of the follow up visits to the Indian suppliers - The Pilot project on independent monitoring set up in 2000 by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and by Migros, Switcher and Veillon to monitor compliance with the Code of Conduct has issued its first report. (Clean Clothes Campaign Switzerland, 12 Dec. 2002)

PERU: $5 Million IDB Loan To Fund Monitoring Of Natural Gas Project - The Inter-American Development Bank said yesterday it has approved a $5 million loan to Peru to strengthen hydrocarbon safeguards, particularly in relation to the country's Camisea natural gas project. The loan is meant to help Peru monitor the Camisea plan's impact and other social and environmental measures...Preventative health care for native communities is also planned. (UN Wire, 5 Dec. 2002)

Cheap products' human cost - China's success in the PC revolution lies in its mostly young and low-wage workers, who put in stunning amounts of overtime -...With its estimated 100 million migrant workers and its notoriety for low wages and lax enforcement of labor and environmental laws, China is fast becoming the world's premier electronic workshop, analysts say. Contract manufacturers that make components for leading PC companies are moving operations here from Taiwan, Malaysia and Mexico, and bringing their subcontractors with them...Pilla [a Microsoft spokesman] said Microsoft plans to monitor compliance with labor standards as part of routine quality audits of its contractor factories. [also refers to Dell, Flextronics, Seagate] (Karl Schoenberger, San Jose Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2002)

NGOs React to Kimberley Launch: NGOs Cautiously Welcome the Launch of Kimberley Process -...NGOs are deeply concerned that there is still no system for regular, independent monitoring of all national diamond control systems. Without this, the overall process remains open to abuse. (Action Aid, Amnesty International, Cenadep [DRC], Fatal Transactions, Global Witness, Network Movement for Justice and Development [Sierra Leone], Oxfam & Partnership Africa Canada, 5 Nov. 2002)

Kimberley Audit Firm Founded - A new audit company has been created to certify diamonds under the Kimberley Process. (Peter C. Mastrosimone, Rapaport News, Diamonds.Net, 25 Oct. 2002)

ILO, ADB join forces to improve labour standards, promote development - The International Labour Office (ILO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have joined forces to improve labour standards as a means of promoting development and reducing poverty in the Asia-Pacific region...The meeting recommended that Governments, the ADB and the ILO highlight labour standards in policy dialogue with governments; promote improved labour standards by designing projects, e.g., to address child labour, improve occupational safety, reduce discrimination at the workplace or eliminate bonded labour; strengthen monitoring of working conditions in the region... (International Labour Organization, 11 Oct. 2002)

US groups to push for sweatshop reforms - US human rights and trade union groups will launch a campaign on Tuesday aimed at restricting US imports of goods made under sweatshop conditions. The effort aims to put political muscle behind what the groups say is the failure of many large US companies to abide by voluntary corporate codes of conduct that were supposed to improve working conditions in factories abroad that produce clothing, shoes and other goods for the US market. (Edward Alden, Financial Times, 23 Sep. 2002)

Adidas Sweats Over Third World Subcontractors Sweatshops -...In the past few years, however, the issue has crossed the Atlantic. Human rights leaders, trade unions, and religious groups have formed a loose alliance called the Clean Clothes Campaign and have begun attacking Adidas, Hennes & Mauritz AB, Benetton Group (Victoria Knight, Dow Jones, 23 Sep. 2002)

No trust without verification: Tracey A Swift, director of research at AccountAbility, argues that social reports must include external verification to be credible (Tracey A. Swift, in Human Rights & Business Matters, Amnesty International UK Business Group Newsletter no. 6, autumn/winter 2002)

Who Monitors? - Who enforces the social and environmental standards for corporate behavior in poor countries, where government either does not function well or lacks the resources to ensure that businesses perform at the level customary for the U.S. or Western Europe?...But who conducts these audits – and which standards the audits follow – are the subject of fierce debate, because control of the audit can deeply influence company operations. [refers to L.L. Bean, BP, Gap] (G. Pascal Zachary, Business for Social Responsibility website, 1 Aug. 2002)

California Business Leaders Asked to Commit to Third-Party Assessments -...The Future 500, a not-for-profit business alliance, has launched a drive to commit a majority of Fortune 500 companies to conduct independent measurement of their accountability based on leading indices that rank their standing on financial, quality, social, and environmental performance. (GreenBiz.com, 17 July 2002)

Analysis: Taking stock of CSR measurement - Carin Lavery provides an overview of what’s currently happening in the CSR measurement world, and some predictions for where it’s heading (Carin Lavery, Principal Consultant with csr network, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 9 July 2002)

All Party Parliamentary Group on Corporate Social Responsibility [UK] - 1 July 2002 - Submission by Sir Geoffrey Chandler, Founder-Chair, Amnesty International UK Business Group 1991-2001 and former senior executive Royal Dutch/Shell Group -... CSR [corporate social responsibility] will be largely cosmetic if there is no commitment to labour conditions based on acceptable standards for a company's own employees and its supply chains, if there is no acceptance of responsibility for the environmental and human rights impact of its operations, if there is no monitoring and reporting on that impact as rigorous in principle as reporting on money. (Sir Geoffrey Chandler, 1 July 2002)

High street shops under attack for their ethics [UK] - High street shops have scored poorly in a survey rating businesses on their support for ethical trading practices. The survey...awarded marks to businesses according to their stance on issues such as child labour, poverty wages and poor working conditions. The Co-op, Body Shop and DIY chain B&Q all scored highly. But the survey said most high street shops either had no code of conduct to cover unfair trading issues, refused to publish one or declined to allow their codes to be independently checked. (Henrykl Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner [UK], 20 June 2002)

Nike may move back in to Cambodia: New scrutiny of labour laws bring transparency - U.S. sportswear giant Nike may be about to make a comeback in Cambodia, two years after a television documentary on underage girl workers prompted the company to stop using factories in the country...Nike's possible change of heart has come about following the launch of independent monitoring in the country by the International Labour Organization. (National Post [Canada], 18 June 2002)

Comment: Simon Zadek's column, June 2002 - Simon Zadek reports on the latest developments of assurance frameworks for companies looking to improve social and environmental performance [refers to AA1000S Assurance Standard] (Simon Zadek, Chief Executive of AccountAbility, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 13 June 2002)

EU wants multinationals to publish ethical reports - The European Parliament backed a report yesterday asking multinationals to assess the social and environmental impact of their businesses in annual reports...."Of 2,500 voluntary codes of conduct promoted by business, two thirds ignore internationally recognised standards, avoid independent verification or disown responsibility down their supply chain." (Reuters, 31 May 2002)

A new model for social auditing -...In future, companies will need to move way from self-promotional corporate social responsibility reports - such as those recently published by Reebok, Nike, McDonald's and Shell - and move towards independent evaluations by qualified third parties. They will have to open up their factories to independent audits that disclose publicly whether conditions have improved. (Elliot J Schrage, formerly senior vice-president of global affairs at Gap, teaches at Columbia Business School and Columbia Law School, in Financial Times, 27 May 2002)

Independent Monitoring Working Group Final Report on Independent Monitoring in Central America - The following is the final report on the activities of the Independent Monitoring Working Group (IMWG). The report focuses on the progress of independent monitoring programs in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. [reports on suppliers to Gap, which is a member of the Independent Monitoring Working Group] (Independent Monitoring Working Group, 24 May 2002)

U.S. clothing giants suffer blow from Saipan case rulings - A group of United States retailers, including Gap, J. C. Penney and Target, suffered a setback this week when a federal judge ruled that thousands of garment workers on the Pacific island of Saipan could sue the companies and their contracted factories as a class. The group also failed to block a US$ 8.7 million settlement by 19 other retailers, including Tommy Hilfiger and Liz Claiborne, which sets a strict code of conduct and opens up factories on the island to independent monitoring. (Nancy Cleeland, The Age [Australia] / Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2002)

Worked Till They Drop: Few Protections for China's New Laborers -...guolaosi. The phrase means "over-work death," and usually applies to young workers who suddenly collapse and die after working exceedingly long hours, day after day...Foreign outcry over sweatshop labor has led some multinational firms to monitor conditions in their factories and among their direct suppliers. But a system of subcontracting has undermined such measures. (Philip P. Pan, Washington Post, 13 May 2002)

Mountains of Gold: Kumtor Gold Mine in Kyrgyz Republic [Kyrgyzstan] - This study points out the weaknesses of the environmental management system and the vague monitoring of the company's performance. [refers to pollution and other issues; refers to Kumtor Operating Company, Comeco Corporation of Canada (including cyanide spill accident in May 1998 at Comeco Corp. mine), Normandy Mining of Australia, Oxus Resources of UK, Taldy-Bulak Mining Corp., Malaysian Mining Corp., Kyrgyzaltin (Kyrgyzstan state-run company)] (CEE Bankwatch Network, May 2002)

Manipulating Code of Conduct [India] - According to an article published by a leading Indian monthly Apparel Views, "Codes of conduct have also given rise to a new need for the industry to look for sophisticated methods of manipulating the code standards. This invariably leads to double books, hiding facts, coaching workers to give tutored answers to auditors and faking records..." (CSR World, quoting Apparel Views, Apr. 2002)

WRC Assessment re PT Dada Indonesia: Preliminary Findings and Recommendations - This is the Preliminary Report of an assessment of working conditions at an apparel and stuffed-toy factory in Indonesia [supplying companies including Adidas, Disney, Gap, Top of the World Inc, American Needle and Novelty Inc] (Worker Rights Consortium, 26 Mar. 2002)

{···français} Les distributeurs français pour la promotion de normes sociales en Asie: Les plus grands distributeurs français [Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc, Casino, Cora, Système U, Monoprix et Camif] ont décidé de multiplier les audits sociaux de leurs fournisseurs en Asie et d'échanger leurs informations pour pousser les directeurs d'usines locaux à améliorer les conditions de travail, encore très loin des normes internationales. (AFP, 26 mars 2002)

Oxfam challenges Nike, Adidas to pay workers [Indonesia] (Miranda Korzy, AAP, 7 Mar. 2002)

Interview with Simon Zadek, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility [regarding the concept of third generation corporate citizenship and the current problems with social and financial auditing] (Ethical Corporation Magazine, 6 Mar. 2002)

Sweatshop campaign by students comes to head: FSU [Florida State University] refuses to join 2nd factory-monitoring group [USA] - Members of the FSU Students Against Sweatshops have been trying to persuade D'Alemberte [FSU President Sandy D'Alemberte] to affiliate the university with the Workers Rights Consortium, an advocacy group that would monitor the factories that manufacture FSU-licensed products. (Melanie Yeager, Tallahassee Democrat [Florida], 4 Mar. 2002)

Auditing, conflict-of-interest and credibility: Conducting a credibility assessment (James Sullivan, independent consultant, formerly Deputy Executive Director & Operations Director at Forest Stewardship Council, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 28 Feb. 2002)

Running From Reebok's Hypocrisy [concerning rejection of Reebok Human Rights Award by Indonesian labour rights activist Dita Sari]: "We've created a cottage industry of monitors and inspectors and drafters of codes," Ballinger says, "but all these workers ever wanted was to sit down in dignity and negotiate with their bosses, and this has never happened." (Alexander Cockburn, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2002)

Lessons in monitoring apparel production around the world (Dara O'Rourke, Assistant Professor of Urban Studies & Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, Feb. 2002)

GM Environmental Performance Measured: Conducted with Cooperation of General Motors, Investors and Environmentalists Assess Progress - The first outside assessment of General Motors Corporation's environmental performance concludes that the automaker has made significant improvements since 1994 in reducing its factory emissions, publishing annual reports on its progress, and engaging non-corporate stakeholders in its environmental performance, but that despite the improvement of individual vehicles, it has not improved the overall fuel economy of its fleet. (CERES - Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, 30 Jan. 2002)

AUDITOR INDEPENDENCE? - Note: The following items are not directly about human rights issues, but are relevant to the debate about the independence of auditing/accounting firms, and their role in monitoring the human rights conduct of companies:

2001:

Do-It-Yourself Labor Standards: While the WTO dickers, companies are writing the rules -...The movement is being driven by Western corporations and the factories in developing countries that supply them...Employers in several developing countries are even asking for independent monitoring of their factories to attract or retain orders from Western companies. Their requests have thrust the International Labor Organization (ILO) into a new role as factory-labor cop. (Aaron Bernstein, Business Week, 19 Nov. 2001)

A step towards unity of purpose: Few developments in corporate citizenship have attracted as much hope in advance of their launch as the Global Reporting Initiative, to be formally inaugurated early next year. The initiative will seek to create a common framework for assessing businesses' economic, environmental and social performance, collectively termed sustainability reporting. Its goals are ambitious - the GRI seeks to make sustainability reporting "as routine and credible as financial reporting in terms of comparability, rigour and verifiability". (Alan Pike, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001)

Measuring and reporting corporate performance on human rights [joint publication by Business for Social Responsibility & CSR Europe] -...The report...analyses four initiatives in depth - the Global Reporting Initiative, Social Accountability 8000, the Ethical Trade Initiative and the Fair Labour Association - and provides synopses of key human rights international standards and other reference sources. (Business for Social Responsibility & CSR Europe, Oct. 2001):

CHIQUITA - Sustainable development - Chiquita, which produces a quarter of Latin American bananas, has spent eight years working to ensure all its banana farms in Latin America meet labour and environmental standards that are independently verified by an international non-governmental organization (Ethical Performance magazine, autumn 2001)

Discussing key elements of monitoring and verification:...This paper brings together those ideas on the possible key elements that need to be a part of an effective monitoring and verification system which ultimately serves to improve workplace conditions and facilitate the empowerment of workers. (Nina Ascoly and Ineke Zeldenrust, SOMO-Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, Sep. 2001)

An acid test for better conduct in business: An ISO standard may make improved behaviour measurable [proposal by U.S. Ethics Officer Association to create an International Standards Organisation standard for global business conduct] (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 13 Aug. 2001)

Report Issued on Efforts to Improve Apparel Factory Conditions in Central America: The Independent Monitoring Working Group (IMWG) released a report today on the history and development of independent factory monitoring initiatives in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. (press release, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, 6 Aug. 2001)

SA8000: Can Commercial Auditing Promote Worker Rights?...Given how closely it is modeled on internationally recognized rights and standards of the ILO and UN, the SA8000 standard has a great deal of legitimacy in both the North and South. However, the commercial social auditing model used to verify compliance with that standard has come under a great deal of criticism. (Codes Memo: Number 8, Maquila Solidarity Network, Aug. 2001)

How Responsible Is WRAP? The Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production Certification Program (WRAP) has apparently certified 23 factories (including factories in US, Mexico and Honduras), and has received applications for certification from 370 others. However, information on certified factories and their locations appears not to be publicly available. (Codes Memo: Number 8, Maquila Solidarity Network, Aug. 2001)

A Public Role for the Private Sector: Industry Self-Regulation in a Global Economy: Over the past decade, a growing number of corporations have adopted policies of industry self-regulation such as corporate codes of conduct, social and environmental standards, and auditing and monitoring systems. A Public Role for the Private Sector is the first book to explore this self-regulation phenomenon on an international level across three different policy issues—environment, labor, and information privacy. (Virginia Haufler, Aug. 2001)

Wary Allies [concerning the pros and cons of using corporate codes of conduct to promote labour rights; one concern being "a rush to corporate codes of conduct would allow powerful companies to avoid union organizing, enforceable collective agreements, and government regulation"] (Lance Compa, American Prospect, 2-16 July 2001)

The NGO-Industrial Complex: A new global activism is shaming the world's top companies into enacting codes of conduct and opening their Third World factories for inspection. But before you run a victory lap in your new sweatshop-free sneakers, ask yourself: Do these voluntary arrangements truly help workers and the environment, or do they merely weaken local governments while adding more green to the corporate bottom line? (Gary Gereffi [Professor of sociology and Director of the Markets and Management Studies Program at Duke University], Ronie Garcia-Johnson [Assistant Professor of environmental policy at Duke University], Erika Sasser [Visiting Assistant Professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University], in Foreign Policy, July-Aug. 2001)

Nearly 1000 companies announce intention to join the FLA: Universities urge licensees to join (Fair Labor Association, 12 June 2001)

Three more monitors accredited by FLA [Fair Labor Association] (Fair Labor Association, 4 June 2001)

Sweating It Out: As consumers in the United States cry foul, an international effort to improve factory conditions stumbles in China [regarding difficulties implementing the SA8000 standard] (Bruce Gilley, Far Eastern Economic Review, 10 May 2001)

Second negotiation-attempt with Adidas failed. Pilot-project with the German Clean Clothes Campaign refused. (Clean Clothes Campaign, 8 May 2001)

Overview of Recent Developments on Monitoring and Verification in the Garment and Sportswear Industry in Europe - Second edition (Nina Ascoly, Joris Oldenziel & Ineke Zeldenrust, SOMO-Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations and Clean Clothes Campaign, May 2001)

Labor Standards Clash With Global Reality [report on the limitations of monitoring of El Salvador factory supplying Gap, the clothing retailer; Gap says companies cannot substitute for governments indifferent to enforcing laws] (Leslie Kaufman and David Gonzalez, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2001)

Apparel Makers Fund New Labor Group To Inspect Factories, Screen for Sweatshops [Fair Labor Association] (Joseph Pereira, Wall Street Journal, 10 Apr. 2001)

Better Corporate Environmental Reporting Highlighted by EERA [European Environmental Reporting Awards] (Association of Chartered Certified Public Accountants, 9 Apr. 2001)

Real allies in the Global Alliance [Thailand] (Junya Yimprasert, Co-ordinator, Thai Labour Campaign, and Christopher Candland, Professor of Political Science, Wellesley College, undated)

Independent verification – myth or reality?

Articles about Nike in Human Rights & Business Matters, newsletter of Amnesty International UK Business Group, spring/summer 2001:

Do reporting standards matter? John Elkington, chair of international consultancy, Sustainability, and Oliver Dudok van Heel, senior advisor, examine the arguments for improved reporting standards. (John Elkington and Oliver Dudok van Heel, in Human Rights & Business Matters, newsletter of Amnesty International UK Business Group, spring/summer 2001)

Was that auditor's opinion really independent? (Elizabeth MacDonald, Forbes Global, 19 Mar. 2001)

Nike develops remediation plan for Kukdong [factory in Mexico] based on recently completed independent audit (Nike, 14 Mar. 2001)

PHULKI and COVERCO Join Fair Labor Accredited Independent Monitors (Fair Labor Association, 5 Mar. 2001)

Canadian NGO policy views on corporate responsibility and corporate accountability: An Overview Paper Prepared for an NGO-Government Meeting, May 2001 (Moira Hutchinson, Mar. 2001)

Overview of Recent Developments on Monitoring and Verification in the Garment and Sportswear Industry in Europe (Nina Ascoly, Joris Oldenziel, Ineke Zeldenrust, SOMO - Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, Mar. 2001)

Thirty-one Companies Join Structured Feedback Process (Global Reporting Initiative, Mar. 2001)

Realizing Labor Standards: How transparency, competition, and sanctions could improve working conditions worldwide. (Archon Fung, Dara O'Rourke, and Charles Sabel, Boston Review, Feb./Mar. 2001)

Fair Labor Association approves seven companies for participation in FLA's Monitoring Program; Accredits first Independent Monitor (Fair Labor Association, 24 Jan. 2001)

Monitoring Mattel in China (Stephen Frost and May Wong, Asia Monitor Resource Center, 2001)

2000:

Finding a common language for corporate responsibility [Global Reporting Initiative] (Robert E. Sullivan, Earth Times News Service, 30 Nov. 2000)

Business and Human Rights - new roles for the global players (Christopher Avery, Nov. 2000)

PriceWaterhouse / Kohl's Sweatshop Cover-up in Nicaragua (National Labor Committee, 11 Oct. 2000)

Promoting Socially Responsible Business in Developing Countries [conference: 23-24 October 2000, Geneva] (UNRISD News [U.N. Research Institute for Social Development Bulletin], no. 23, autumn/winter 2000)

My factory visits in Southeast Asia and UM [University of Michigan] code and monitoring (memo from Linda Lim [Associate Professor of Business Administration, University of Michigan Business School] to Larry Root [Director, Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Michigan], 6 Sep. 2000)

Monitoring the Monitors: A Critique of PricewaterhouseCoopers Labor Monitoring (Dara O'Rourke, Sep. 2000) 

The Inspector Calls: Working conditions in Asian factories is a hot issue.  Mattel has a proactive approach (Joanna Slater, Far Eastern Economic Review, 6 July 2000)

Monitor U.S. firms in China (Karl Schoenberger, Hartford Courant, 3 June 2000)

CCC Projects on Independent Verification (Clean Clothes Campaign, May 2000)

Indonesian Forum to Campaign for Environment Audit on Freeport (Antara/Asia Pulse, 11 Apr. 2000)

Corporate Spin - the troubled teenage years of social reporting (Deborah Doane, New Economics Foundation, 2000) 

1999:

Global Witness Appointed Independent Monitor of [Cambodia's] Foresty Sector (Global Witness, 2 Dec. 1999)

ILRF To Train NGO Factory Monitors (International Labor Rights Fund, 22 Nov. 1999)

relevant sections of Business and Human Rights in a Time of Change (Christopher Avery, Nov. 1999):

Overview of Recent Developments on Monitoring and Verification of Codes of Conduct in the Clothing and Sportswear Industry (Clean Clothes Campaign, Oct. 1999) 

Nestlés new "monitoring" strategy - does it make any difference to infant health? (Baby Milk Action, Oct. 1999)

L'Ethique sur l'Etiquette: The French CCC Moves Forward With Monitoring Experiments (Clean Clothes Campaign, July 1999)

Safeguarding reputation (Dr. Jennifer Woodward, consultant on Global Risk Management solutions for PricewaterhouseCoopers, in Human Rights & Business Matters, newsletter of Amnesty International UK Business Group, spring 1999) 

Are human rights made to measure? Adrian Henriques, Head of Social Auditing at New Economics Foundation, argues for the development of methodologies to measure human rights (Human Rights & Business Matters, newsletter of Amnesty International UK Business Group, spring 1999)

Business and Human Rights: Global brands monitor manufacturing conditions worldwide (Doug Cahn [Vice President of Human Rights Programs, Reebok] and Tara Holeman [Associate Manager of Human Rights Programs, Reebok], Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, spring 1999)

1998:

Keeping the Work Floor Clean: Monitoring Models in the Garment Industry (Clean Clothes Campaign, Dec. 1998) 

Overview of global developments and Office activities concerning codes of conduct, social labelling and other private sector initiatives addressing labour issues (International Labour Organization, Nov. 1998)

International Workshop on Independent Monitoring of Codes of Conduct (sponsored by International Restructuring Education Network Europe and Schone Kleren Campagne, 4 May 1998)

Socially challenged (John Elkington and Helen Stibbard, SustainAbility Limited, Mar-Apr 1998)

1997:

Safer Toys (Luc Demaret, Trade Union World, 1 Dec. 1997)

Eliminating Sweatshop Practices: A response to the White House Apparel Industry Task Force (Independent Monitoring Group of El Salvador, Apr. 1997)

Scraping Bottom: Freeport McMoRan in Irian Jaya (NGO Taskforce on Business and Industry, 1997)

Monitoring of the application of a code of conduct, in Business ethics in the textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industries: Codes of Conduct (J.P. Sajhau, ILO working paper, 1997)