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Positive human rights initiatives by companies featured in our Weekly Updates
Section 5: Companies beginning with R-Z
(10 Feb 2005 – 25 Feb 2009)
This chart lists positive steps by companies that have been featured in our Weekly Updates. Our website links to hundreds of other reports of positive initiatives.
This section of the chart covers individual companies with names beginning A-B; the other alphabetical sections, and a section for initiatives that involve a large group of companies, are here:
www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/Update-Charts
Our free Weekly Updates include the latest news and reports on companies’ human rights impacts: positive steps they are taking, and alleged abuses. Over 7500 opinion leaders worldwide have registered for the Updates. You can sign up to receive Updates at: www.business-humanrights.org/Updates
When we plan to include reports about allegations of misconduct by a company in a Weekly Update, we invite the company to provide a response to include alongside the allegations. A chart of companies we have invited to respond – indicating the issue raised, and whether or not the company responded – is available here: www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/Update-Charts
Company / Country / Date of ourUpdate / Initiative
Rabobank
(Netherlands) / Global / 15 Nov 2006 / Rabobank among top 5 reports in SustainAbility's bi-annual survey of corporate social & environmental reporting. Click here
Rabobank (Netherlands) / Global / 8 Feb 2006 / Survey of banks' social & environmental policies finds 8 with public human rights policies, including Rabobank. Click here
Rabobank (Netherlands) / Global / 14 Sep 2005 / Rabobank case study included in World Business Council for Sustainable Development report on business contribution to UN Millennium Development Goals. Click here
Ranbaxy
(India) / Global / 4 May 2005 / Addressing neglected diseases such as malaria & tuberculosis: Details of partnerships between non-profits, governments & drug companies, including Ranbaxy. Click here
Rapaport Group
(USA) / Global / 4 Apr 2007 / Diamond Development Initiative seeks to go "beyond Kimberley Process" to improve lives of artisanal miners – participants include Rapaport Group. Click here
Rapaport Group
(USA) / Africa / 24 Aug 2005 / Global Witness, De Beers, Partnership Africa Canada, Rapaport Group, World Bank’s Communities and Small-Scale Mining Program launch “Diamond Development Initiative" to improve impacts of artisanal mining in Africa, for miners, communities, governments. Click here
Real Madrid
(Spain) / Spain / 16 Jan 2008 / Real Madrid & 5 institutions launch "Causas Justas" with messages for the social integration of the immigrants. Click here [Spanish only]
Reebok
(USA) / Global / 13 Dec 2006 / "2006 Transparency Report Card" by NGO/labour coalition assesses labour standards reporting by 30 apparel retailers: Reebok scores second-highest. Click here
Reebok
(USA) / China, India, USA, Zimbabwe / 17 May 2006 / 2006 Reebok Human Rights Award presented to 4 activists, from China, India, USA, Zimbabwe. Click here
Reebok
(USA) / Global / 8 Mar 2006 / CSR Asia praises steps taken by Reebok to address human rights. Click here
Reebok
(USA) / Cambodia / 14 Sep 2005 / Cambodia: Reebok and other apparel companies pledge financial support for ILO factory monitoring & improvement programme. Click here
Reebok
(USA) / Burma / 8 Jun 2005 / Reebok CEO urges companies still doing business in Burma to divest on human rights grounds. Click here
Reebok
(USA) / Global / 13 Apr 2005 / UNICEF Child Labour Resource Guide makes case for business action on child labour & refers to steps taken by Reebok & other companies. Click here
Reliance
(India) / India / 28 May 2008 / Reliance partners with UNAIDS to expand access to HIV/AIDS services for the poor. Click here
Reliance
(India) / India / 16 Aug 2006 / Steps that companies are taking to address HIV/AIDS in India, including Reliance. Click here
Repsol YPF (Spain) / Global / 11 Jul 2007 / At Global Compact summit, president of Repsol says that the challenge for companies is to widen social & economic development. Click here [Spanish only]
Repsol YPF (Spain) / Argentina / 25 Apr 2007 / Agreement signed between the government, UNICEF, ILO & companies to eradicate child labour – Signatory companies include Repsol YPF. Click here (Spanish only)
Reuters
(UK) / Global / 7 May 2008 / UK Prime Minister convenes major companies in "Business Call to Action" to tackle world poverty - booklet describes steps by Vodafone, Sumitomo Chemical, SAB Miller, Reuters, Microsoft, Diageo, Coca-Cola, Citi to help combat poverty. Click here
Reuters
(UK) / Global / 21 Mar 2007 / IBLF report on how company employee initiatives are helping increase access to education, water, health, housing – refers to initiatives by companies including Reuters. Click here
RGM International (China) / China / 26 July 2006 / Companies including RGM International receive corporate responsibility awards. Click here
Rio Tinto
(UK) / Africa / 5 Mar 2008 / Anglo American, Rio Tinto require Chinese joint venture partners in Africa to pledge adherence to human rights & environmental standards. Click here
Rio Tinto
(UK) / Global / 14 Sep 2005 / Rio Tinto case study included in World Business Council for Sustainable Development report on business contribution to UN Millennium Development Goals. Click here
Rio Tinto
(UK) / Global / 6 Jul 2005 / Responsible Jewellery council launched by business orgs. & companies including Rio Tinto, to promote responsible social & environmental practices throughout the value chain (from mine to retail). Click here
Rio Tinto
(UK) / China / 18 May 2005 / Rio Tinto & other companies make commitment to fight HIV/AIDS in China. Click here
Rio Tinto Alcan
(Canada) / Guinea / 28 Nov 2007 / Rio Tinto Alcan partners with UNDP, govt. and local NGO to encourage progress towards Millennium Development Goals. Click here
Roche
(USA) / Global / 10 Dec 2008 / Employees of Roche march in support of disadvantaged children marchan – company matched all funds raised. Click here
Roche
(USA) / Latin America / 17 Aug 2005 / 26 pharmaceutical firms, including Roche, agree with governments of 11 Latin American countries on price reductions of up to 66% for anti-HIV/AIDS drugs. Click here
Roche (Switzerland) / Global / 4 May 2005 / Addressing neglected diseases such as malaria & tuberculosis: Details of partnerships between non-profits, governments & drug companies, including Roche. Click here
Rolls-Royce (UK) / Global / 17 Jan 2007 / New climate change initiative launched by Confederation of British Industry - members include Rolls-Royce. Click here
Rosy Blue (USA) / Global / 6 Jul 2005 / Responsible Jewellery council launched by business orgs. & companies including Rosy Blue, to promote responsible social & environmental practices throughout the value chain (from mine to retail). Click here
Royal Philips Electronics (Netherlands) / Global / 7 Mar 2007 / Dutch Commission on Sustainable Research creates "Millennium Development Goals Scan" to benchmark companies' contributions – companies passing the scan include Royal Philips. Click here
RUSAL
(Russia) / Nigeria / 20 Feb 2008 / RUSAL aluminium company signs memorandum with local govt. & communities - commits support for education, health, water access. Click here
RWE npower (Germany) / Global / 12 April 2006 / RWE npower & 5 other utility companies publish report on implementing human rights principles – focusing on supply chain, diversity, vulnerable customers, climate change. Click here
SABMiller
(UK) / Global / 7 May 2008 / UK Prime Minister convenes major companies in "Business Call to Action" to tackle world poverty - booklet describes steps by Vodafone, Sumitomo Chemical, SAB Miller, Reuters, Microsoft, Diageo, Coca-Cola, Citi to help combat poverty. Click here
Sainsbury's (UK) / China / 26 Oct 2005 / ASrIA publishes report on Impactt's "Overtime Project", in which 11 UK retailers, including Sainsbury’s, each worked with a supplier factory in China to improve working conditions. Click here.
Salesforce.com
(USA) / USA / 3 May 2006 / Salesforce.com comes 7th in Business Ethics’ “100 Best Corporate Citizens” ranking. Click here
Sambhav Gems
(India) / Global / 12 Jul 2006 / "Crossing boundaries": Business leaders visit social & environmental projects (report by IBLF). Companies featured include Sambhav Gems. Click here
Samsung
(So. Korea) / Global / 14 Jan 2009 / Greenpeace seems some “greening” of products at Las Vegas electronics show - first prizes for products from Lenovo, Sharp, Samsung. Click here [French only]
Samsung
(So. Korea) / Global / 15 Mar 2006 / Greenpeace says Samsung is one of the electronics companies “leading the industry by positive example on toxic chemicals.” Click here
Sanofi-Aventis (France) / France/ Global / 28 Mar 2007 / 8 companies, including Sanofi-Aventis, launch francophone “Business Leaders Initiative for Human Rights”. Click here [French only]
Sanofi-Aventis (France) / Global / 11 Oct 2006 / World Health Organisation & Sanofi-Aventis expand their programme combatting neglected tropical diseases. Click here [in French].
Sanofi-Aventis (France) / Global / 4 May 2005 / Addressing neglected diseases such as malaria & tuberculosis: Details of partnerships between non-profits, governments & drug companies, including Sanofi-Aventis. Click here
Santa Teresa Rum
(Venezuela) / Venezuela / 13 Aug 2008 / Santa Teresa Rum provides land, jobs & training to poor squatters in joint programme with govt. Click here
Sasol
(So. Africa) / Global / 20 Aug 2008 / African firms including East African Breweries, Kenya Airways, Sasol start to take action on climate change. Click here
Sasol
(So. Africa) / Global / 30 Apr 2008 / Sasol, expanding into countries criticised for their human rights records, adopts more systematic approach to human rights. Click here
Sasol
(So. Africa) / So. Africa / 2 Apr 2008 / Sasol to sell $3.2 billion of shares to black investors, in largest deal of its kind to help compensate for apartheid discrimination. Click here
Satyam Computer (India) / Global / 12 Jul 2006 / "Crossing boundaries": Business leaders visit social & environmental projects (report by IBLF). Companies featured include Stayam Computer. Click here
SCA Tissue
(USA) / USA / 29 Aug 2007 / American Rights at Work profiles successful labour rights initiatives - examples include SCA Tissue. Click here
Schneider (France) / France / 7 Feb 2007 / CEOs of Schneider and Dexia sign up to ecologist/writer Nicolas Hulot’s “Environmental Pact”. Click here [French only]
Schwab
(USA) / USA / 2 May 2007 / Companies incl. Schwab support natl. ban on sexual orientation discrimination. Click here
SC Johnson (USA) / USA / 11 Jan 2006 / SC Johnson presented with US Presidential Award for Corporate Leadership for its "Greenlist" that rates the environmental impacts of its product components. Click here
SC Johnson (USA) / Global / 14 Sep 2005 / SC Johnson case study included in World Business Council for Sustainable Development report on business contribution to UN Millennium Development Goals. Click here
Sears
(USA) / Cambodia / 14 Sep 2005 / Cambodia: Sears and other apparel companies pledge financial support for ILO factory monitoring & improvement programme. Click here
SEAT
(Spain) / Spain / 19 Sep 2007 / Accidents in SEAT factories are less frequent and less serious. Click here [Spanish only]
SEP-Congo
(Dem. Rep. Congo) / Dem. Rep. Congo / 14 May 2008 / Oil services company SEP-Congo supports UN programme combatting HIV/AIDS in transport sector. Click here [French only]
SESA Select
(Argentina) / Argentina / 23 Jan 2008 / Studies on profitability & corporate social responsibility – includes example of good practices by Grupo SESA Select. Click here
Severn Trent
(UK) / Global / 12 April 2006 / Severn Trent & 5 other utility companies publish report on implementing human rights principles – focusing on supply chain, diversity, vulnerable customers, climate change. Click here
Shanghai Pudong Development Bank
(China) / China / 12 Jul 2006 / Shanghai Pudong Development Bank first mainland Chinese bank to issue a CSR report. Click here
Sharp
(Japan) / Global / 14 Jan 2009 / Greenpeace seems some “greening” of products at Las Vegas electronics show - first prizes for products from Lenovo, Sharp, Samsung. Click here [French only]
Shell
(UK/Netherlands) / Ghana / 14 Nov 2007 / Shell trains staff as peer educators to help sensitise workers on HIV-AIDS. Click here
Shell
(UK/Netherlands) / Middle East / 23 May 2007 / Regional business coalition on HIV/AIDS for Arab world launched by companies including Shell. Click here
Shell
(UK/Netherlands) / Global / 21 Mar 2007 / IBLF report on how company employee initiatives are helping increase access to education, water, health, housing – refers to initiatives by companies including Shell. Click here
Shell
(UK/Netherlands) / UK / 7 June 2006 / Shell & other companies call on UK Govt. to adopt tougher greenhouse gas standards. Click here
Shell
(UK/Netherlands) / USA / 15 Feb 2006 / Shell & other firms endorse Pew Center on Global Climate Change’s comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Click here
Shell
(UK/Netherlands) / Kazakhstan / 5 Oct 2005 / Kazakhstan joins Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative - along with mining, oil & gas companies including Chevron. Click here
Shell
(UK/Netherlands) / Africa, Asia, Central America / 16 Mar 2005 / Shell Foundation report "Enterprise solutions to poverty” describes its experience helping develop sustainable small businesses in Africa, Asia, Central America. Click here
Shirley Hinojosa
(Argentina) / Argentina / 17 Sep 2008 / Companies take part in programme to eliminate child labour on vineyards Click here [Spanish only]
Siemens (Germany) / Sudan / 24 Jan 2007 / Siemens says it will withdraw from Sudan because of concerns about humanitarian conditions. Click here
Signet
(USA) / Global / 6 Jul 2005 / Responsible Jewellery council launched by business orgs. & companies including Signet, to promote responsible social & environmental practices throughout the value chain (from mine to retail). Click here
Signet/Kay
(USA) / Global / 15 Feb 2006 / 8 jewellers, including Signet/Kay, call on mining firms to produce gold responsibly - No Dirty Gold campaign welcomes move. Click here
Silver Star
(Pakistan) / Pakistan / 30 May 2007 / Nike to resume soccer ball production in Pakistan; contract with new supplier Silver Star includes labour rights provisions. Click here
Simon Property Group