The Responsible Business Initiative is looking for supporters from business
Launched by 80 Swiss organizations, the Responsible Business Initiative foresees that Swiss companies will be legally obliged to incorporate respect for human rights and the environment in their business activities abroad. The initiative will protect human rights, including the right to water and sanitation. The initiative is currently looking for supporters from the private sector. (55 words)
The Responsible Business Initiative is looking for additional corporate supporters. The initiative has been launched by 80 organisations, including NGOs (among others, Helvetas, Bread for all, Amnesty, Public Eye, Fastenopfer), churches, trade unions, and socially responsible investors (Ethos, Abendrot, Actares). It foresees that Swiss companies will be legally obliged to incorporate respect for human rights and the environment in their business activities abroad. The initiative will protect human rights abroad, including the right to water and sanitation. Swiss voters will vote on the initiative in 2018 or 2019. For the voting campaign, the Responsible Business Initiative is looking for additional entrepreneurs or CEOs who are willing to publicly support the initiative with their name and a statement on the initiative’s website. Dominique Biederman (Chairman of Ethos), Martin Brenner (CFO of Weleda AG), Dieter Pestalozzi (Chairman of Pestalozzi + CO AG), and Samuel Schweizer (Board member of Ernst Schweizer AG) are already supporting the initiative. Join this growing community of progressive business people and contact info@konzern-initiative.ch.
More information here.
Neuchâtel to continue the route to Colombier, where they were warmly welcomed by the CHYN with coffee and croissants. The group was divided into three to learn more about the focus areas of the CHYN. Around the pumping well or in a wooden chalet, the members were introduced to CHYN’s Watsan course, the current research projects on groundwater measurements and enjoyed a presentation about the interaction between surface- and groundwater. At the water bar near the lake, the participants were invited to a groundwater tasting and listened to a presentation on hydrogeology and hydrochemistry. The three workshops were very praxis oriented, interesting and playful.
Lunch consisted of a varied outdoor picnic. Afterwards, all members of the General Assembly were brought back to the UNI Mail, ready and oxygenated enough to focus on the statutory part, which was introduced by the Co-Chair and SWP Steering Board member Olga Darazs.
Besides reflecting on the past year and approving the documents for the coming year, a highlight was the announcement of the winner of the Steering Board elections: Congratulations to Rose Osinde Alabaster, who won the elections with a clear majority. Johan Gély was announced successor of Christian Eggs and now represents the SDC in the Steering Board Committee. Another novelty was the presentation of the winner of the first ever awarded Swiss Junior Water Prize 2017, Anna-Lena Klein from Stans (NW), who will participate at the international finals in Stockholm during the World Water Week 2017.
The IUCN’s insightful presentation on Nature based Solutions (NbS) for Water lead to interesting interactions and discussions during the breakout session on the same topic. Two additional relevant SWP topics were: The exploration of blended finance and impact investing and the World Water Forum 2018. The results can be read in the minutes.
We congratulate Rose Osinde Alabaster on her election to the SWP Steering Board (SB) Committee! At our last General Assembly in May 2017, she was officially announced as winner with a clear majority of votes.
We are very pleased to announce that Johan Gély is now representing the SDC in the Steering Board, replacing Christian Eggs. We welcome Johan Gély to the SWP Steering Board Committee! Note: According to the statutes, the seat of the strategic partner SDC is not put to election.