Strong support for responsible business initiative
The initiative aims to make sure that companies headquartered in Switzerland are not using such practices as child labour.
Keystone
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 If parliament does come up with a counter-proposal, the initiative is likely to be withdrawn.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.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Man charged with flying drone at women’s Euro 2025
This content was published on
A man flew a drone around the venue on Wednesday evening during the first match of the Women's EURO 2025 in St. Gallen. The 30-year-old violated the absolute ban on flying during match days. He was reported to the police.
More than 250 Swiss companies sign CO2 reduction initiative
This content was published on
A total of 257 companies from Switzerland have signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In doing so, they are committing to CO2 reduction targets that are compatible with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Swiss accident prevention group sees federal targets at risk
This content was published on
The Swiss government's target for accident figures is at risk, reckons Mario Cavegn, member of the executive board of the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention.
Feminicide: Swiss justice minister calls for electronic monitoring
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans has called for electronic monitoring and an ankle bracelet warning system for perpetrators of violence against women.
This content was published on
American artist Chaka Khan ‘and friends’ opened the 59th Montreux Jazz Festival on Friday. For over three hours, their show, dedicated to their friend and mentor Quincy Jones, thrilled the audience,
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.