The observatory on corporations
Ambet Yuson, BWI General Secretary
This article concentrates on Qatar and the 2022 World Cup. It uses one specific case to tell a larger story. All of the key elements of BWIs strategic plan that emerged from the BWI World Congress in 2017, held in Durban, “organising, negotiating, and influencing”, are found in this one case.
by Geert Aelbrecht, Chief People Officer at BESIX Group
The start of the national football teams’ qualifying matches for the World Cup in Qatar has put the theme of respect for migrant workers’ rights back in the spotlight.
Sabrina Soffientini, Head of Communications at Federconsumatori and OpenCorporation expert
The production of plastic has grown by more than 38% in the last 10 years, which is why waste containing this material has increased: according to the latest report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), each square kilometer of ocean contains an average of 63,320 particles of microplastics. The Mediterranean is one of the most polluted seas in the world: 7% of microplastics globally are concentrated here.
Gabriele Guglielmi, Filcams CGIL Nazionale, OpenCorporation Coordinator
In a great article titled “The undeserved power of rating agencies” published on March 19, 2012 in the magazine Internazionale, JAYATI GHOSH, an economist who teaches at the Jawaharlal Nehru University of New Delhi, taking his cue from the fact that “the rating agency Moody’s has put Ethiopia under observation for a possible downgrade” wrote a sharp and stark analysis on the “extraordinary and undeserved power exercised by a few private rating agencies”.
Claudio Sottile, Head of European and international policies FILCA CISL Nazionale
With FIFA’s awarding of the World Cup to Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022), the “Red Card for FIFA” campaign was born. Before granting the games, FIFA should have verified that both human and labor rights were respected in the assigning countries.
Gabriele Guglielmi, Filcams CGIL, OpenCorporation Coordinator
Sporting events are a vehicle for large investments, sponsorships, contracts for works and services … but also the site of violations of rights and campaigns, especially union ones. The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is a prime example, and so is the campaign of the Global Trade Union Federation of Construction Workers (BWI) which for the occasion has become
Gabriele Guglielmi, Filcams CGIL, OpenCorporation Coordinator
Starting from the America’s Cup we will observe the ocean of sponsors and companies that are the wind and the sail of the sporting events themselves, of the teams, of the single athletes and of the markets (TV, Social, fashion, products and services) that revolve around them in order to win the most coveted “quasi-sporting” race: to gather the public’s attention and sell more goods and services.
Simona Fabiani, National CGIL, Climate, Environmental and Territorial Policies and expert of CTS OpenCorporation
One of the ingredients used in cosmetics is plastic. It is used in the form of tiny solid particles less than 5 millimeters in size, which are intentionally added to cosmetics and personal care products, as emulsifying agents, exfoliants or simply as fillers. Plastics are found in so many cosmetic products: lipsticks, lip glosses, illuminants, mascaras, foundations, toothpastes, bubble baths, shampoos, etc.
Gabriele Guglielmi, Filcams CGIL, OpenCorporation Coordinator
As of January 1, 2020, Italy has banned the sale of cosmetic products containing microplastics. This is a first step forward, which has placed our country at the forefront, but it is still not enough.
UNI Global Union
The rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus since February 2020, and the subsequent lockdowns, has accelerated the rise of remote work. To support trade unions around the world who are negotiating working conditions for this growing trend, UNI Global Union – with the support of UNI Finance, UNI ICTS and UNI P&M – organised a high-level webinar on 23 February 2021 to launch the UNI key principles to advance remote workers’ rights.
