Celebrate with Ethical.TV the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People!

“The world’s indigenous peoples – 370 million in 70 countries — are the custodians of some of the most biologically diverse areas on earth. They speak a majority of the world’s languages, and their traditional knowledge, cultural diversity and sustainable ways of life make an invaluable contribution to the world’s common heritage.”

                                      Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General

How much do you know about Indigenous People?
The United
Nations General Assembly decided that the International Day of the
World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year.

Find out more and watch some good stories about indigenous people:

Connectivity of the Indigenous People in the Americas (click here)

In Latin America there are around 50 million indigenous people.

History’s B-Sides (Lado B de la historia) (click here)
History’s B-Sides explores past events whose effects continue to resonate in the present.

Ecuador: A model of Green Enterprise (click here)

How to balance development and conservation in Ecuador.

Visit Ethical.TV to watch more films related with this issue.
    How much do you know about Indigenous People?

The International Day of the Co-operatives (4th July)

This
year the theme focuses on the fact that co-operatives are enterprises
that can effectively contribute to global economic recovery, but also
that these enterprises will do so in respect of the co-operative values
and principles which guide their operations.

Burma Video Journalists (click here)

The Co-op is bringing to life the award-winning film Burma VJ.

The Story of the Fenwik Weavers Co-operative (click here)
Local Fenwick weaver Thomas Barr meets a stranger in the Kings Arms one cold winter’s night in 1763.

Empowerment for Women (click here)
Kuapa Kokoo involves women in all decision making.
    The International Day of the Co-operatives (4th July)

What’s new on Ethical.TV?

Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries (click here)
European Union supports those who want to start a business.

Help Connect the World Through Music (click here)
This is an introduction to the Playing For Change Foundation.

Just Coffee (click here)
A look at the biggest fair trade certification labels on the market.

A Commitment to Health in a Borrowed Land (click here)
“Sex Education and STI and HIV prevention” project in the Saharan refugees camps of Tindouf.
    What’s new on Ethical.TV?

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of films and features would you like to enjoy on Ethical.TV? Send us
your ideas, suggestions and comments to: info@ethical.tv !

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Ethical.TV can help by providing you with industry filming experts from
camera, editing to final delivery.
    Do you have any new ideas or comments about Ethical.TV?

Contact us:

Tania Pramschufer

tania@ethical.tv – (0044) 131 226 2674 / 07914 254 334

Katie Williamson

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For more information about Hand Up Media click here

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www.ethical.tv

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The Recycle
Warehouse is an online department
store that is championing the environment and fighting climate change.
Their object is to be the next John Lewis, except that every
item at The
Recycle Warehouse is made
from recycled materials. 

The Recycle
Warehouse was launched this
year by John Halladay.

‘By buying from us, you are relieving
pressure on the world’s diminishing resources. Our inventory includes
chairs made from recycled cardboard, shoes from recycled tyres and whole
dining services made from recycled glass and much more.’

Six months after its launch The Recycle Warehouse displays hundreds of items –

‘…about 400 at the moment, still
increasing, all of which are made predominantly or wholly from recycled
materials. We have a rule that the items must have at least 50% recycled
content but most are much higher.’

Although it is a distinction that John
doesn’t make on the website his goods fall into two categories. On
the one hand it is easy to see what some of his things originally were.
Take a footstool made from recycled tyres, the tread is clearly visible
around the edge. It’s funky and loud and a real conversation piece.

‘This is taking something which had
a defined use and subverting it into something that is functionally
completely different. On the other hand, some of our furniture or our
tableware bears no relationship to the original use to which its raw
material was put. People can make a statement – I’m a hardcore
environmentalist: look at my
wastebin, it’s made from crisp packets! But they can buy a bed
or dining table that’s made to their own design from reclaimed timber
by a professional craftsman, that doesn’t look any different to a
conventional, well-crafted piece.’

‘Our goal is to show that every day
goods can be made from recycled materials and that they are just as
good as new. As well as the quirky – bags made from chewing gum wrappers
or ringpulls, bowls made out of remoulded LP records – we have beautiful,
functional furniture that is handmade from reclaimed wood, including
oak and teak which you just can’t buy any more in a sustainable way; 
designer clothes made from recycled fabrics, that can’t be bought
in any High Street shops.’

Many of the goods on sale through The Recycle Warehouse are made by charities.

‘Doy Bags are one of the best
known manufacturers in the recycling market. Made by a women’s collective
in The Philippines, their bags are colourful and exciting, woven from
reclaimed fruit juice packs. We supply garden furniture made by a charity
in Oxford that employs people with learning disabilities, and we support
other charities in various parts of the world.’

It’s a quirky site that makes its environmental
message clear on every page and it isn’t above being dogmatic about
climate change. This isn’t just about profit. 

At The
Recycle Warehouse they have
simple principles:

• sustainability comes first,
  profit comes second;
• business has to lead the way
  in the war against climate change;
• recycling is an alternative
  to the exploitation of the world’s finite resources
• this isn’t commerce, this
  is a Crusade.

John Halladay is a Board Member of Friends
of the Earth and a local Greenpeace activist.

Global responsible investment research specialist EIRIS, Centre for Australian Ethical Research (CAER)
and Survival International are supporting a United Nations Principles
for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) programme to facilitate engagement
between investors and their investee companies to promote and respect
the rights of indigenous peoples around the world.

The UN PRI collaborative engagement draws on latest research from EIRIS which explores
the challenges and opportunities faced by major companies operating in
parts of the world where the rights of indigenous peoples are
threatened.¹

According
to the United Nations there are 370 million indigenous people in the
world and 5,000 distinct indigenous cultural identities in more than 70
countries. There are believed to be more than 100 uncontacted groups in the world. Although indigenous people only account for 5% of the world’s population, they account for over 15% of the world’s poor.

Companies
engaging in activities that may infringe the rights of indigenous
peoples, as enshrined within the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples, face increasing reputational risks potentially
leading to issues with access to capital, damage to brand, licence to
operate, and operational risks such as the threat of litigation and
increased regulation.

The EIRIS report Indigenous rights: risks and opportunities for investors
highlights the rights of indigenous peoples as a key human rights issue
that companies and their investors should take into account. It covers
companies operating in sectors (mining, oil & gas, agricultural
producers and forestry paper) and countries considered to be high risk
for indigenous peoples. The research also highlights key risks areas
which investors should consider when engaging with companies on
indigenous rights issues such as access to investment capital;
increased regulation; litigation and reputational risk. 

Key findings:

- Big companies at risk: 250 companies (with a total market value of GBP 1.7 trillion)
have been identified as having an exposure to indigenous rights. 17% of
companies have a high risk exposure to indigenous rights issues.

- Few companies report on indigenous rights issues: The
quality of reporting is generally poor: whilst most companies provide a
response to allegations of breaches of indigenous rights few report
voluntarily on areas of non-compliance.

- Fewer than 20% of companies have adopted a policy supporting free prior informed consent² for indigenous peoples:19%
of these companies have a corporate-wide indigenous rights policy. Only
15% of companies have a corporate-wide policy supporting free prior
informed consultation.

- Only a fifth of companies disclose employment data on indigenous people:19% of companies disclose employment data on indigenous peoples.

- Fewer than 10% of companies have a policy for involuntary resettlement:  Just over 6% of companies have a policy covering involuntary resettlement.

Given
the level of NGO and media attention to the issue of indigenous
peoples’ rights and the introduction of laws and regulation in many
countries, companies with strong commitments and effective engagement
processes will undoubtedly benefit in an environment where access to
land and resources is becoming increasingly restricted.

Stephanie
Maier, Head of Research at EIRIS said ‘Indigenous rights is a complex
issue that companies and their investors need to address and is
especially important for extractive companies as they seek to expand
and gain access to land. Our research explores the challenges and
opportunities faced by major companies operating in parts of the world
where the rights of indigenous peoples are threatened. We are very
pleased to be working with the UN PRI and Survival International on
this important area of engagement.’

Stephen Corry, Director at Survival International said ‘Investors
must use their considerable power to persuade companies to respect and
protect the rights of indigenous peoples, otherwise they risk being
charged with complicity in abuses they bankroll. As EIRIS has shown,
this vital issue is chronically under-reported by companies. The United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ILO
convention 169 should be used as benchmarks for the development of
company policies on indigenous rights. Companies that fail to gain the
free, prior informed consent of indigenous communities affected by
their projects are in flagrant breach of international law.’

Bob Walker VP Sustainability at the Ethical Funds of Canada said ‘The risks from
indigenous Peoples’ opposition to specific projects is real and
material for investors. But corporations also have an enormous
opportunity to contribute to both economic and community development in
the regions where they operate.  This new research from EIRIS is a
useful addition to our toolkit for encouraging greater corporate
transparency that will undoubtedly benefit companies in an environment
where access to land and resources is coming under increasing pressure
globally.’

Click here (http://www.eiris.org/files/research%20publications/indigenousrightsjun09.pdf) to download a copy of the research report.

Press contact: mark.robertson@eiris.org +44 (0)20 7840 5741, +44 (0)7950 931313