CSR and social conflict in the Brazilian extractive sector

ABSTRACT

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important means to address conflicts, support local development and build trust between businesses and civil society. Yet CSR often fails to live up to its ambitions and can even exacerbate conflicts between companies and communities. In this article we consider how changing CSR strategies over the past four decades between Brazilian company Vale to Norwegian company Hydro have fomented or mitigated company–community conflicts in Northern Brazil. We find that paternalistic and philanthropic approaches of Vale over time led to deep resentment and mistrust due to underdevelopment and environmental damages. Moreover, while Hydro’s more modern CSR strategies sought to deepen community engagement and build legitimacy, the company has struggled in addressing the legacies inherited from Vale and past and current civil society grievances. The case suggests that even forward-thinking CSR approaches are vulnerable to failure where they prioritise business risk over community engagement, neglect to account for past legacies in areas of operation, and fail to create a shared vision of future development. It suggests that EI companies should both understand and engage with their social and environmental impacts in the past, present, and future and create shared economic benefits in the short and long term in order to address social conflicts.     

论国际投资中的国家责任问题

国际投资中的国家责任问题主要涉及国际投资的法律保护问题 ,如对外国投资和投资者的待遇标准、国有化或征收及其补偿问题。另外 ,还涉及特许权协议、拒绝司法、外交保护等问题。就外资待遇而言 ,发展中国家应根据其经济发展的实际情况在双边投资保护条约中慎重承诺。笔者通过对国有化问题的分析 ,认为国家在这个问题上所承担的国家责任不是传统国际法上的国家责任 ,而是一种“合法行为引起的国家责任”。关于特许协议 ,笔者认为它是国内契约。此外 ,在国际投资中 ,还涉及因污染转嫁而产生的国家责任。     

论公司经营范围的准确定位

公司作为一种营利性组织,必须以其组织章程规定的经营范围为基础进行经营活动。传统公司法中,对超范围经营活动,法律赋予其绝对无效的法律后果。随着经济的发展,体制的转变,经营范围的绝对性受到了质疑。本文分析了经营范围的功能及社会经济基础的变化,认为我们可以借鉴发达国家的做法,采用相对无效原则。不将其全盘否定,放宽限制,给公司充分的经营自由,同时兼顾政府的公共事务管理职能。     

论检察机关民事诉权所及的范围

基于检察监督理论和公益原则 ,检察机关应当具有一定的民事诉权。检察机关的民事诉权所及的范围应当包括 :违反亲属法并损害或危及社会公序良俗的行为 ;环境污染和产品责任等公害行为 ;垄断行为 ;侵害国有资产的行为。     

加强领导干部任期经济责任审计的思考

领导干部任期经济责任审计对于抑制腐败行为、加强对领导干部的监督管理、正确评价和使用领导干部、保护国家财产的安全完整、促进国有资产的保值增值等具有重要意义     

警察出庭作证:透析与前瞻

警察作为证人出庭作证在国外十分普遍,然而我国一直将警察排除在证人之外,警察出庭作证少之又少。我国警察应当出庭作证,但应限制在特定范围之内。在目前情况下,警察出庭作证还存在较大障碍,这恰恰是我国刑事司法改革之所在。     

证据收集制度

我国在强调当事人举证责任的同时 ,对当事人收集证据的权利缺乏充分、有效的保障。本文在分析两大法系证据收集制度差异及其成因的基础上 ,对我国证据收集程序的运作方式、证据提供义务的范围及违反证据提供义务的制裁措施提出了自己的看法     

公务员行政责任追究立法研究

公务员行政责任追究立法是行政法制建设的重要环节。解决当前公务员行政责任追究制度不规范现象,必须加强公务员行政责任追究立法。公务员行政责任追究立法,在立法模式上应采用半统一立法模式,在立法思想上应贯彻宁疏勿密立法思想,在立法原则上应坚持教惩结合立法原则。     

"大国际私法观"辩正

大国际私法观缺乏学科学理论的支持,对其所负任务的认识也不够清晰科学.国际私法的范围应当根据实际的需要来加以确定.当前,国际私法的主要目的是解决在涉外民商事交往中或在处理涉外民商事争议时所出现的法律问题,因此,它的范围应当从处理涉外民商事案件的过程加以判断和确定.我国传统大国际私法观所包含的内容也应据此作出相应的修正.     

WHERE IS THE VILLAGE GOING? MAINTAINING AND INCLUDING CULTURAL STRENGTHS TO PROTECT CHILDREN ORPHANED IN KENYA

This article is the result of a master's thesis about children and their universal right to be included in a family environment. This is not only protected under international law, but also intuitive to human beings. HIV‐AIDS continues to threaten lives of children, particularly in sub‐Saharan Africa in the form of orphaning. Looking at a case study from Kenya, it is revealed that, while legal protection is yet to be fully realized in the state, strong cultural norms of value are alive. Currently, the extended family system is the greatest protection to children orphaned or at risk of being orphaned. However, this system was made invisible in the domestic laws of Kenya under the Children Act 2001. This neglect calls for questions not only regarding the protection cultural norms may offer, according to the best interests of children, but also as to the cultural environment being created with the new law.