Bishops call for increased corporate transparency

Catholic bishops urge the European Union to legislate on extractive companies

While a group of EU member states, including Germany and the UK, are attempting to water down new EU transparency legislation, Catholic bishops from around the world urge the EU to push forward and require European Union-listed and large unlisted extractive companies to publicly disclose the payments they make to governments worldwide. In a joint statement, they say less stringent laws will fail to turn the curse of resource-rich developing countries into a blessing.

More information…

European Union Transparency Directive may have a positive impact on the lives of poor people

Mgr Joseph Banga from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) says the upcoming revision of the EU Transparency and Accounting Directives could have a positive impact on the lives of poor people living in resource-rich developing countries. If EU companies are required to report on a country-by-country and project-by-project basis on their financial dealings with host governments, citizens will be able to monitor the management of their natural resources.

Learn more…

Watch the video interview Mgr Joseph Banga from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) [in French with English subtitles]:

World Religious leaders protest against attitudes of mining companies

In many places around the world, religious leaders are protesting against mining companies and projects. What are their complaints? In Chad, that revenues intended to ease the pain of poverty are nowhere to be seen; in the DRC and in Nigeria that mining feeds devastating conflicts; in Ghana that mining in forest reserves threatens animal and plant species. The underlying story is one of broken promises, of powerful companies whose God is profit and of a wounded planet whose resources are despoiled harming the people who live nearby. On April 24, bishops, preachers, and advocates gathered at the Washington National Cathedral to explore how they might join forces both to draw attention to the harm that bad mining practices wreak on people and land, and to point to practical, positive ways to move forward. The Missionary Oblate JPIC Office was instrumental in organizing the conference.

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Inside the greenhouse at LaVista CSA Farm; Photo by Kevin McLaughlin, OMI

The La Vista Community Supported Garden, a project under the Justice, Peace/Integrity of Creation Ministry of the Missionary Oblates, hosted an Open House on Sunday, May 6th for new and returning shareholders. The farm is located on the Oblate property in Godfrey, Illinois and has been operating successfully now for over a decade.

More information about the CSA is available here…

Fields ready for planting. Photo by Kevin McLaughlin, OMI

The Greenhouse at the LA Vista CSA Farm; Photo by Kevin McLaughlin, OMI

Environment Sunday this year falls on June 3, two days before World Environment Day (June 5) and two weeks before the Earth Summit.

Is your church holding a special service or event to mark Environment Sunday? A walk/cycle to church Sunday? A nature walk? A litter pick? Or a work-party in the church grounds or locality?

The international Christian environmental organization, A Rocha, has produced materials for Environment Sunday in recent years. See http://en.arocha.org/uk/index.html

A Rocha chose the first Sunday in June, or the nearest Sunday to World Environment Day, for Environment Sunday because this time of year – early summer – is most suitable for outdoor events. It is easier to see and enjoy flowers, butterflies, birds and other wildlife at this time. Furthermore, UN World Environment Day  is June 5th.

The 2012 parish resource pack is on the topic of Trees and Forests.

Goals of the exhibit include:

• Bearing witness to the suffering of the Earth and its peoples as a consequence of extractive industry abuses;
• Underscoring the necessity of industry standards in preventing mining abuses; and
• Revealing the courageous resistance of peoples all over the world to inadequate extractive industry standards.

At 2:30, there will be a special 15 minute commemoration of those who have been murdered around the world as a result due to their community resistance against the consequences of extractive industry on their communities.

Event details (Download PDF)

]]> http://omiusajpic.org/2012/05/01/impacts-of-mining-exhibit-at-the-un-hosted-by-vivat-international/feed/ 0 http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/27/multi-faith-global-statement-on-extractives/ http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/27/multi-faith-global-statement-on-extractives/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:54:19 +0000 christina http://omiusajpic.org/?p=11364 On April 24, Oblate Bishop Dinualdo Guttierez OMI from Philippines and Bishop Bejoy D’ Cruze OMI from Bangladesh joined the JPIC staff in attending a conference designed to develop a multi-faith global statement on extractives industries. The meeting was held at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Participants came from major faith groups and leading international NGOs from all continents. A multi-faith global statement on extractives will serve as a shared common document that people of faith can use when dealing with issues of extractives. The meeting was initiated and facilitated by the Bank Information Center and the Oblate JPIC office.

Participants in the April 2012 Multifaith Conference on Extractives Industries

]]> http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/27/multi-faith-global-statement-on-extractives/feed/ 0 http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/26/s-s-2012-jpic-report-available/ http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/26/s-s-2012-jpic-report-available/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:48:48 +0000 christina http://omiusajpic.org/?p=11354 The Spring/Summer Issue of our bi-annual print newsletter is now available on-line. (Download the PDF…)

This issue includes articles on Global HIV/AIDS funding, a new organic farm at Oblate headquarters in Washington, the human reality at the US/Mexican border, shareholder advocacy in the financial sector, human trafficking and environmental issues: from biodiversity loss and climate change to OMI JPIC work in solidarity with Bangladeshi colleagues and new solar panels on an Oblate church in California.

The document says: Jesus chastises the Pharisees for being able to interpret the appearance of the skies while being unable to interpret the signs of the times (cf. Mt 16:3). In our time the appearance of the skies has become a sign of the times. The threat of climate destabilization, the destruction of the ozone layer, and the loss of bio-diversity point to a disordered relation between humankind, other living beings and the rest of the earth (emphasis added).

The elements of nature—grain for bread and grapes for wine—become part of salvation through the Eucharist and that salvation itself is an act of God at work in all of creation and all creation encountering God.

Additionally, the document call[s] both Methodists and Catholics to participate more deeply in the Eucharist by recognizing its intrinsic connection with the renewal of creation.

Bishop William Skylstad, retired bishop of Spokane (and honorary chairman of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change) and Methodist Bishop Timothy Whitaker of the UMC Florida Conference co-chaired the dialogue.


Read the entire statement here.

In 2007, in response to a shareholder proposal filed by members of The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), Newmont agreed to conduct a global review of its policies and practices related to community opposition in its mining operations. At this year’s annual shareholder meeting, the lead proponent of that proposal, Julie Tanner, Assistant Director of Socially Responsible Investing at Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS), expressed frustration over Newmont’s lack of disclosure on the implementation its Community Relations Review (CRR).

“The issue of accountability to stakeholders is critical and one which drove shareholders to request the evaluation of community relationships, including aspects of potential conflict and opposition. We ask the Newmont Board to publicly disclose to stakeholders, including shareholders, how it is overseeing implementation of the CRR, and the goals, benchmarks and indicators used to assess progress,” said Tanner.

In May 2009, the “Community Relationships Summary Report” was released that included an extensive review of recommendations to improve Newmont’s policies and practices relating to its relationships with local communities. According to the company’s website, the findings revealed that Newmont “must improve its relationships with local communities; build its capacity to resolve conflict and address grievances; and develop global policies, standards and programs that better guide its behaviors.”

“Three years ago, shareholders commended Newmont for its commitment to address the root causes of community conflict through review of its policies and practices regarding relationships in the communities in which it operates,” said Cathy Rowan, Corporate Responsibility Coordinator for the Maryknoll Sisters. “Until now, we do not know if implementation of the CRR has made any difference. Is the company able to demonstrate that community opposition has been reduced? In fact, given the situation the company faces today with the Conga Mine in Peru, we wonder if community conflicts are ‘the new normal’ for Newmont, and are concerned about Newmont’s ability to maintain a social license in Peru, and other countries where it has operations– currently or in the future.”

The shareholders addressed Newmont’s Board regarding how the company intends to ensure the long-term viability of its operations in Peru. At Newmont’s proposed Minas Conga mine in the northern Cajamarca region of Peru, community groups have voiced opposition to the project due to the quantity of water used and the potential for water pollution in the fragile watershed area. Construction has been halted since November 2011 after protests culminated in a shooting incident by the Peruvian National Police. A state of emergency was declared by the National Government in four districts within the Cajamarca Department on December 5th 2011 and was lifted on December 15th.

Nick Magel of the environmental group Earthworks, representing the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, said: ” Newmont has an opportunity to demonstrate real social and environmental leadership by adopting a free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process that is implemented through independent and credible means. Newmont’s failure to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of affected communities in Peru and elsewhere has turned into a reputational and financial liability for the company.” By Newmont’s own estimates at the time the project was suspended in November 2011, project delays cost the company $2 million per day, which the company has attempted to reduce.

This is not the first time that issues regarding community consent and water use and quality have surfaced at Newmont’s gold mining operations in Peru. In 2004, Newmont suspended plans to develop a gold mine at Cerro Quilish following weeks of protests and opposition by local communities. At the time, Newmont issued a statement in Peruvian newspapers stating, “We wish to express our willingness to always listen to the feelings of the people of Cajamarca, acknowledge our mistakes and promote positive change in our behavior to reconstruct our relationship with the population.”

Last month, the investor research firm ECPI last month conferred an “F” grade to Newmont, as it has every year since 2007, due to serious social and governance concerns, writing: “In the last decade, community protests occurred in the Newmont Mining sites in Indonesia, Ghana and Peru because of severe environmental pollution caused by the mine tailings and waste disposal contaminating community water sources, as well as poor health and safety labor conditions. These severe impacts have prompted communities’ demonstrations and complaints against land grabbing and poor compensation for the damages caused by the mine operations.”

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For more information, contact:

Julie Tanner, Christian Brothers Investment Services, 917-723-7702

Cathy Rowan, Maryknoll Sisters, 718-822-0820

Nick Magel, Earthworks, 419-283-2728

Payal Sampat, Earthworks, 202-247-1180

]]> http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/26/shareholders-ngos-raise-questions-about-newmont-mining%e2%80%99s-social-and-environmental-risks-at-company%e2%80%99s-annual-general-meeting/feed/ 0 http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/20/interfaith-moral-action-on-climate/ http://omiusajpic.org/2012/04/20/interfaith-moral-action-on-climate/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:31:22 +0000 christina http://omiusajpic.org/?p=11301 Interfaith Moral Action on Climate is a broad-based interfaith coalition formed to raise up the need for urgent action on climate change. Believing that the threat posed by Climate Change is a moral issue, IMAC has planned a series of events to coincide with Earth Day. To avoid conflicting with other events planned in Washington DC for Earth Day weekend, and because they will be visiting members of Congress, IMAC has scheduled the group’s activities for Tuesday April 24.  If you are in the area, we encourage you to become involved. The Missionary Oblates JPIC Office is an endorsing organization. Full information is available on the IMAC website.

Download a flyer for the April 24th A Day for the Climate in Washington DC 

Schedule of activities:

Sunrise – 9:15 am Vigil • 8:30 am Interfaith Service with Bill McKibben, Ibrahim Ramey, Indigenous leaders, Luci Murphy Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

10:30 am “Cry of the Earth: A Service for Healing the Climate” with: Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, Dr. Carroll Baltimore, Sr. Simone Campbell/SSS, Rev. Richard Cizik, Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Mohawk Clan Mother Louise McDonald, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, and others at the NY Ave. Presbyterian Church,1313 New York Ave., NW; Bring some earth from your local community to be healed at the Service

12 noon Multi-faith Procession to the US Capitol

• Upper Senate Park, 200 New Jersey Ave. NW
• Wear religious garb if possible

1 pm Brown bag lunch for yourself and to share

1:30 pm Commissioning Vigil at the Capitol

2 – 4:30 pm Constituent Visits with Ethical Report Cards

• meet with members in the House and Senate (Sign up for this separately on the IMAC website)

4:30 – 6:00 pm Closing, Sharing & Benediction

• Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol St.
• (behind the Supreme Court)

People of faith and good will around the country who cannot join us on April 24 are urged to have vigils in their local communities.