Strong support for responsible business initiative
Public support for Switzerland’s so-called responsible business initiative now stands at 78%, 11 percentage points up on February 2019, according to an opinion poll.
Some 43% were “in favour” and 35% “quite in favour”, while 5% were against and 9% undecided, according to the poll by the Link institute. It was carried out from May 5-12 among 1,038 people aged 18-79.
The initiativeExternal link, which is supported by numerous organisations, aims to make companies headquartered in Switzerland respect human rights and the environment throughout the world. It calls for mandatory human rights due diligence and for companies to be held liable for damage caused by companies under their control.
The Senate and the House of Representatives have both rejected the initiative, considering it too “excessive”, but they have not yet managed to agree on a counter-proposal. The Senate is due to examine the issue again at the beginning of its next session. If parliament does come up with a counter-proposal, the initiative is likely to be withdrawn.
More
More
Responsible business initiative heads closer to a national vote
This content was published on
Parliament disagrees over a proposal to hold Swiss-based multinationals accountable for human rights and environmental violations abroad.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Responsible Business debate could cause ripple effects globally
This content was published on
Swiss parliament decides this week on an initiative to hold companies accountable for their impacts on human rights and the environment.
Switzerland’s golden opportunity for responsible business
This content was published on
Mark Pieth of the University of Basel criticises the Swiss government for lacking the political will to build a more responsible gold supply chain.
UN experts raise concerns over Swiss ‘responsible business’ initiative
This content was published on
United Nations human rights experts have raised concerns over the Swiss government’s position on the “responsible business” initiative.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.