Last week in the wake of the Paradise Papers scandal Mark Goldring explained how tax dodging deprives already deprived people of basic services like access to water, education and healthcare. But, how does tax affect human rights? Here, Alex May argues that tax dodging can also be seen as a human rights violation. What is tax dodging? Corporations and wealthy people …
Cracking down on tax dodging, cracking down on poverty
Following the ‘Paradise Papers’ leak of financial documents Mark Goldring explains why Oxfam is calling for greater tax transparency. When businesses dodge taxes the poorest people suffer the consequences: lack of funding for public services. Through Oxfam’s work fighting poverty around the world, I see the devastating impact that not having access to basic services like education, clean water and …
Tax is an attitude: not just a set of rules
A huge new leak of financial documents this week has revealed how some multinational companies secretly make use of tax havens. FTSE 100 energy company SSE believes it should be the norm to report tax payments on a country by country basis, as they already do. Here Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE’s Chief Executive, explains why paying taxes matters to them. SSE …
Using scorecards to influence business: the Behind the Brands experience
In the run up to Oxfam’s Evidence for Influencing conference on Oct 23 – 24, Erinch Sahan shares how Oxfam has used scorecards to influence business. Companies compete, that’s just what they do. As a company’s performance is assessed against competitors’ decision-makers in companies are incentivised to ‘win’. The desire to ‘win’ shapes corporate culture and this is a dynamic …
Reimagining business to tackle inequality
Erinch Sahan explains why the current reality of mainstream business isn’t cutting the mustard when it comes to tackling inequality. Inequality is spiralling to absurd levels. Our economies are generating vast wealth but it is channelled to a tiny minority of people. Since the turn of the century, the poorest half of the world’s population has received just one percent of …
How businesses can tackle the social norms that limit women
Across the world, women make a significant contribution to global supply chains, in spite of complex hurdles that limit their inclusion and their leadership. How can businesses make it easier for women to fulfil their potential? Claudia Canepa shares some ideas from Oxfam’s private sector partnerships. The UN High Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment (HLP) recently identified seven key …
Making ‘people are our greatest asset’ ring true
The Workforce Disclosure Initiative will shine a spotlight on how companies treat the people working in their supply chains. Rachel Wilshaw, Ethical Trade Manager, explains how and why Oxfam is involved. ‘Disclosure’ is a hot topic at present, with the BBC dealing with the fall-out from disclosing the gender pay-gap amongst top presenters, the prime minister of Pakistan resigning following …
A letter to Sainsbury’s
This is a joint agency letter sent to Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coupe following the announcement of the “Fairly Traded” tea pilot and the creation of the new Sainsbury’s Sustainability Standards. Dear Mike, Following the announcement of Sainsbury’s “Fairly Traded” tea pilot and the creation of the new Sainsbury’s Sustainability Standards, we are writing to express a number of serious concerns. Although …
Ensuring companies stretch themselves: Learning from Oxfams Unilever report
OPINION: Peter McAllister, Executive Director of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), shares with us his thoughts on our recent study on labour rights in Vietnam with Unilever. It’s always important to have an evidence base when addressing ethical trade issues. It’s also important to acknowledge progress as well as to address any supply chain challenges. That’s why Oxfam’s five-year collaboration …
Unilever perspective: The importance of innovative partnerships in driving social sustainability
Learning: Last week we published the results of an unique study conducted with Unilever on labour rights in Vietnam. Here Marcela Manubens, Global VP for Social Impact at Unilever, shares with us why Unilever took part and their thoughts on the report. A month after I first joined Unilever, in February 2013, Oxfam published a report on Unilever in Vietnam – …