Human rights

Golden West Packaging Group Receives Silver Medal from EcoVadis for Sustainability in Business

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 18, 2024

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Focused on sustainability in every aspect of operations, Golden West Packaging Group, LLC (https://goldenwestpackaging.com) not only reduces material usage through thoughtful design, but it also utilizes responsibly sourced and managed raw materials. In addition, Golden West Packaging Group is one of the largest paper recyclers in the western United States, closing the loop on its 360-degree commitment to sustainable manufacturing.

Key Points: 
  • Golden West Packaging Group, LLC ( https://goldenwestpackaging.com ), an independent manufacturer of custom packaging products and one of the largest paper recyclers in the western U.S., is pleased to announce that it has earned a silver medal for sustainability in business from EcoVadis.
  • The award recognizes that Golden West Packaging Group operates in the top 20 percent of companies that participate in the rating service.
  • EcoVadis, the world's largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings, has recognized that commitment by awarding Golden West with a silver medal for 2023.
  • "Receiving the EcoVadis Silver Medal recognition is a significant milestone for our company and a reflection of our steadfast commitment to sustainability," said Craig Reese, CEO of Golden West Packaging.

Mining leaders make landmark commitments to support a nature positive future

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Collaborate across value chains: Develop initiatives and partnerships that halt and reverse nature loss throughout supply and distribution chains.

Key Points: 
  • Collaborate across value chains: Develop initiatives and partnerships that halt and reverse nature loss throughout supply and distribution chains.
  • Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO, ICMM announced the nature commitments at a Nature Positive Initiative event in Davos today, commenting: "The mining industry owes its very existence to nature.
  • Marco Lambertini, Convenor of the Nature Positive Initiative, said: "Today's commitment from the mining sector to contribute to a nature-positive future is welcome.
  • Action on nature is an integral part of ICMM's Mining Principles, representing our member companies' comprehensive commitment to a responsible mining and metals industry.

Mining leaders make landmark commitments to support a nature positive future

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Collaborate across value chains: Develop initiatives and partnerships that halt and reverse nature loss throughout supply and distribution chains.

Key Points: 
  • Collaborate across value chains: Develop initiatives and partnerships that halt and reverse nature loss throughout supply and distribution chains.
  • Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO, ICMM announced the nature commitments at a Nature Positive Initiative event in Davos today, commenting: "The mining industry owes its very existence to nature.
  • Marco Lambertini, Convenor of the Nature Positive Initiative, said: "Today's commitment from the mining sector to contribute to a nature-positive future is welcome.
  • Action on nature is an integral part of ICMM's Mining Principles, representing our member companies' comprehensive commitment to a responsible mining and metals industry.

Morrison Foerster Welcomes Former Deutsche Bank and UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office Sanctions Lawyer Chloe Cina to Premier National Security Practice in London

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 16, 2024

LONDON, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the arrival of Chloe Cina as a partner in the National Security Group, based in London. Cina, a globally renowned leader in international and UK financial sanctions and export controls, brings over 18 years of legal and banking compliance experience to Morrison Foerster gained in the public and private sector.

Key Points: 
  • Cina, a criminal barrister and international lawyer, joins the firm from Deutsche Bank.
  • At Deutsche Bank, she was global head of sanctions advisory, leading a multilingual team of U.S.-, EU-, German-, and UK-qualified lawyers advising on sanctions compliance.
  • In 2008, Cina joined the UK Treasury Solicitor's Department, where she worked in the National Security team on terrorism and sanctions-related litigation.
  • Cina adds further depth to Morrison Foerster's market-leading global National Security practice.

Domestic violence: criminalising coercive control in France could bring more justice to victims

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Over the last decade in many European countries, legislators, magistrates, government ministers, law enforcement agencies, lawyers and service providers have recognised that prevailing approaches to domestic violence were failing and have adopted the new model of “coercive control” to reframe domestic violence as a crime against rights and resources rather than as an assault.Criminalising coercive controlDrawing on interviews with several hundred French professionals, victims, service providers and academics, the Chandler-Vérien French parliamentary mission on domestic violence tasked by Prime Minister Borne with improving the judicial treatment of domestic violence stressed the urgency of translating coercive control into law and called on coercive control to be at the core of future information campaigns and professional training.

Key Points: 


Over the last decade in many European countries, legislators, magistrates, government ministers, law enforcement agencies, lawyers and service providers have recognised that prevailing approaches to domestic violence were failing and have adopted the new model of “coercive control” to reframe domestic violence as a crime against rights and resources rather than as an assault.

Criminalising coercive control

  • Drawing on interviews with several hundred French professionals, victims, service providers and academics, the Chandler-Vérien French parliamentary mission on domestic violence tasked by Prime Minister Borne with improving the judicial treatment of domestic violence stressed the urgency of translating coercive control into law and called on coercive control to be at the core of future information campaigns and professional training.
  • We believe that enacting a coercive control offence in France would be a significant advance in the equality agenda.

Coercive control: a “liberty crime”

  • Coercive control has been referred to as a “liberty crime” because of the experience of entrapment it produces, analogous to being held hostage.
  • The rights infringed upon include autonomy, dignity and self-determination, even more so when victims have a disability.


current domestic-violence laws have failed to hold perpetrators accountable and to protect victims, mainly women and children;
the lack of social control and legal sanctions encourages aggravation and recidivism, creating a revolving door in French courts and prisons;
victims confront situations that more closely resemble captivity than an assault.

A system of impunity

  • The French state’s High Council for Equality has found that the conviction rate for perpetrators of domestic violence amounted to a “true system of impunity”.
  • The gap between the current criminalisation of domestic violence and its reality as experienced by victims can erode trust in the justice system.
  • The conviction rate of perpetrators and the number of domestic homicides in France reflect the perpetrators’ lack of accountability.

Surveillance, isolation, intimidation, control, personalised credible threats

  • In most cases, violence and/or sexual abuse is accompanied by intimidation, isolation, control tactics, and personalised credible threats.
  • These begin in the house and can extend to every activity, including work, and involve children, other family members and unrelated others, including professionals, as spies, informants or co-victims.
  • Because perpetrators aim to monopolise all the resources and privileges available in a relationship or family space, their adult partner is usually their primary target.
  • But any person who is seen as obstructing this monopoly is likely to be targeted as a secondary victim, including children, grandparents, siblings, friends, neighbours, coworkers, as well as law and social services professionals.

What about the children?

  • Coercive control of women by men is the most important cause of violence against children and child homicide outside war zones.
  • This often occurs after a separation, in the context of legal proceedings relating to the child’s custody and parental rights or during visiting rights.


The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

King Oscar USA Launches All-New Salmon Product Line

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 16, 2024

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- King Oscar, the legendary Norwegian seafood producer, is proud to announce the launch of a new line of Skinless & Boneless Atlantic Salmon in Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the US.

Key Points: 
  • "As a premium brand, our all-new salmon lineup elevates the category beyond anything consumers have seen," said King Oscar USA president, John Engle.
  • "All three flavor varieties feature select cuts of Atlantic salmon, unlike traditional canned 'skin-on & bone-in' salmon or skinless & boneless flake-style canned salmon.
  • Expect King Oscar to deliver hand-packed cuts of Atlantic salmon, marinated in extra virgin olive oil, and with a proprietary blend of spices and natural flavors in every can."
  • I encourage consumers to pick up a can of King Oscar Skinless & Boneless Atlantic Salmon and enjoy the way canned salmon should be served."

New Zealand can learn from South Africa, The Gambia and others when it comes to international accountability

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 16, 2024

In 2023 the world witnessed a sustained attack on the very foundations of the international legal order.

Key Points: 
  • In 2023 the world witnessed a sustained attack on the very foundations of the international legal order.
  • These cases offer smaller countries, such as New Zealand, an opportunity to have a significant role in strengthening the international legal order and ensuring a pathway towards peace.

A departure from the legal norm?

  • However, six recent court cases reflect a significant departure from this tradition and mark an important development for international justice.
  • Here's what both sides said and what happens next

    These cases argue the international community has a collective interest in certain issues.

Holding states accountable for genocide

  • Three of the six cases seek to hold states accountable for genocide using Article IX of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
  • In 2022, the ICJ concluded it had jurisdiction to hear The Gambia’s case on the basis that all parties to the Genocide Convention have an interest in ensuring the prevention, suppression and punishment of genocide.
  • While Ukraine is directly impacted by Russia’s actions, 32 states, including New Zealand, have also intervened.
  • That said, intervening in judicial proceedings in support of the legal order or international community more generally was relatively rare until 2023.

Climate change obligations under international law

  • In 2023, three proceedings seeking advisory opinions on the legal obligations of states in respect of climate change under international law have been introduced before the ICJ, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
  • Read more:
    Myanmar charged with genocide of Rohingya Muslims: 5 essential reads

    These cases can be similarly characterised as having been brought on behalf of the international community for the international community.

  • Collectively, these six cases comprise actions taken on behalf of the international community with the overarching purpose of strengthening the international legal order.

New Zealand’s support for the global legal order in 2024

  • The international legal order underpins New Zealand’s security and prosperity.
  • New Zealand has a strong and internationally recognised track record of positive intervention in judicial proceedings in support of that order.
  • Contributing to this case and to The Gambia v. Myanmar proceeding provides an important opportunity for New Zealand to make a proactive and substantive contribution to strengthening the international legal order.


Karen Scott does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Gurit receives gold award for sustainability performance

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, January 13, 2024

Gurit (SIX Swiss Exchange: GURN) has been awarded a gold medal for its sustainability performance from EcoVadis, one of the world’s largest and most trusted sustainability rating agencies.

Key Points: 
  • Gurit (SIX Swiss Exchange: GURN) has been awarded a gold medal for its sustainability performance from EcoVadis, one of the world’s largest and most trusted sustainability rating agencies.
  • This places Gurit in the top 5% of all EcoVadis-rated companies globally.
  • The EcoVadis assessment evaluates 21 sustainability criteria across four core themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.
  • Gurit will publish its Sustainability Report 2023 on March 4, 2024.

The Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) Begins Trading With 0.20% Management Fee; Fee Set to 0% for First Sixth Months

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 11, 2024

Bitwise Asset Management , the largest crypto index fund manager in America, announced today the landmark launch of the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), the firm’s first spot bitcoin ETF.

Key Points: 
  • Bitwise Asset Management , the largest crypto index fund manager in America, announced today the landmark launch of the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), the firm’s first spot bitcoin ETF.
  • BITB’s management fee is the lowest among current spot bitcoin ETFs at 0.20%,1 with the fee set to 0% for the first six months on the first $1 billion in assets.
  • “With the long-awaited launch of regulated bitcoin ETFs like BITB, the gates are finally open for many mainstream investors,” said Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley.
  • The launch of the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF adds to Bitwise’s broad suite of professionally managed vehicles.

Bitwise To Launch Lowest-Cost Spot Bitcoin ETF (BITB) on January 11 With 0.20% Management Fee; Fee Set to 0% for First Six Months

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Bitwise Asset Management , the largest crypto index fund manager in America, announced today that the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), the firm’s first spot bitcoin ETF, intends to begin trading on January 11.

Key Points: 
  • Bitwise Asset Management , the largest crypto index fund manager in America, announced today that the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), the firm’s first spot bitcoin ETF, intends to begin trading on January 11.
  • The Bitwise Bitcoin ETF will trade on NYSE Arca under the ticker BITB.
  • The management fee will be the lowest among approved spot bitcoin ETFs at 0.20%,1 with the fee set to 0% for the first six months on the first $1 billion in assets.
  • Now, at long last, a spot bitcoin ETF is arriving.”
    The fund’s launch marks a critical turning point for the industry, said Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan.