 | |
| Abbreviation | CORE |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor |
| Formation | 2019 |
Key people | Sheri Meyerhoffer |
Budget | $4.9 m CAD |
| Website | core-ombuds |
The Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) is a Canadian ombudsman that investigates ethical violations.
CORE was established in April 2019, with the appointment of lawyer [1] Sheri Meyerhoffer to the office. [2] The office investigates suspected corporate ethics [3] and human rights violations. [4] CORE was the successor to Canada's corporate social responsibility counsellor. [5] It has an annual budget of $4.9 million. [6]
By May 2023, the ombudsman was criticised for having submitted zero reports to International Trade Minister. At the time CORE was looking into fifteen matters, all of which were in the "initial assessment" phase of investigation. [6]
In July 2023, CORE launched its first investigation into Nike Canada and Dynasty Gold Corp., accusing both of exploiting Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang. [2] In August the same year, CORE started investigating Ralph Lauren for using a supply chain that included the use of Uyghur forced labour and stated that it was looking into accusations that mining company GobiMin did the same. [7]
The Canada Revenue Agency is the revenue service of the Canadian federal government, and most provincial and territorial governments. The CRA collects taxes, administers tax law and policy, and delivers benefit programs and tax credits. Legislation administered by the CRA includes the Income Tax Act, parts of the Excise Tax Act, and parts of laws relating to the Canada Pension Plan, employment insurance (EI), tariffs and duties. The agency also oversees the registration of charities in Canada, and enforces much of the country's tax laws.
WE Charity, formerly known as Free the Children, is an international development charity and youth empowerment movement founded in 1995 by human rights advocates Marc and Craig Kielburger. The organization implemented development programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America, focusing on education, water, health, food and economic opportunity. It also runs domestic programming for young people in Canada, the US and UK, promoting corporate-sponsored service learning and active citizenship. Charity Intelligence, a registered Canadian charity that rates over 750 Canadian charities, rates the "demonstrated impact" per dollar of We Charity as "Low" and has issued a "Donor Advisory" due to We Charity replacing most of its board of directors in 2020.
The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada is an entity of the Parliament of Canada. The commissioner is an independent officer of Parliament, who administers the Conflict of Interest Act and the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons and is supported in this role by the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. The position came into effect on July 9, 2007, with the coming into force of the Conflict of Interest Act. This act, in turn, was enacted as part of the Federal Accountability Act.
Skechers USA, Inc. is an American multinational footwear and apparel company. Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, it was founded in 1992 and is the third largest footwear brand in the United States.
Leonidas Housakos is a Canadian politician who has served as the senator for Wellington, Quebec since January 8, 2009. A member of the Conservative Party, Housakos was appointed on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Housakos served as the speaker of the Senate for part of 2015.
The International Ombuds Association (IOA) is an organization formed to support organizational ombuds. The International Ombuds Association has a number of predecessors. It was first formed as the Corporate Ombudsman Association (COA) in 1984 under founding president Mary Rowe. In 1992, to better reflect its membership, the Corporate Ombudsman Association (COA) was re-named The Ombudsman Association (TOA). In July 2005, TOA joined with the University and College Ombudsman Association to become the International Ombudsman Association (IOA). In 2021, it changed its name to the International Ombuds Association.
Mariano Abarca Roblero (1958–2009) was a community activist known for leading opposition against mining by Blackfire Exploration in his community of Chicomuselo in the state of Chiapas in Southern Mexico.
An ombudsman, ombud, ombuds, bud, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is a government employee who investigates and tries to resolve complaints, usually through recommendations or mediation. They are usually appointed by the government or by parliament.
The Office of the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor was established in 2009 as part of the Government of Canada’s CSR Strategy for the International Extractive Sector. The mandate of the Counsellor is defined by an Order in Council.
Integrity management consulting is an emerging sector of consultancy that advises individuals and corporations on how to apply the highest ethical standards to every aspect of their business. Integrity within a corporate set-up is a holistic approach that makes prudent and ethical decisions in finance and other areas, including operations, marketing, human resources and manufacturing. At the core of integrity management is the belief that companies have a strong interest and responsibility to act with integrity at all times.
A children's ombudsman, children's commissioner, youth commissioner, child advocate, children's commission, youth ombudsman or equivalent body is a public authority in various countries charged with the protection and promotion of the rights of children and young people, either in society at large, or in specific categories such as children in contact with the care system. The agencies usually have a substantial degree of independence from the executive, the term is often used differently from the original meaning of ombudsman, it is often an umbrella term, often used as a translation convention or national human rights institutions, dealing with individual complaints, intervening with other public authorities, conducting research, and – where their mandate permits them to engage in advocacy – generally promoting children's rights in public policy, law and practice. The first children's commissioner was established in Norway in 1981. The creation of such institutions has been promoted by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, and, from 1990 onwards, by the Council of Europe.
Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American publicly traded fashion company that was founded in 1967 by American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. Headquartered in New York City, the company produces products ranging from the mid-range to the luxury segments. Ralph Lauren is known for marketing and distributing products in four categories: apparel, home, accessories, and fragrances. Known mostly for its flagship brand Polo Ralph Lauren, the company's brands include mid-range, sub-premium, and premium labels up to its highest priced luxury Purple label apparel. The company additionally owned Club Monaco from 1999 to 2021.
Better Cotton is a non-profit, multistakeholder governance group that promotes better standards in cotton farming and practices across 22 countries. As of 2023, Better Cotton accounts for 22% of global cotton production. In the 2022-2023 cotton season, 2.2 million licensed farmers grew 5.4 million tonnes of Better Cotton. Partner retailers include H&M, Gap, IKEA, and Levi Strauss, and include funding partners from USAID.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act is a United States federal law that changed U.S. policy on China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with the goal of ensuring that American entities are not funding forced labor among ethnic minorities in the region.
The Greensill scandal is a political controversy in the United Kingdom related to lobbying activities on behalf of financial services company Greensill Capital. It implicated former Prime Minister David Cameron, former Cabinet Secretary Lord Heywood and several other civil servants, and occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Hatu is the name of a gold deposit and associated gold mines in the West Junggar region in Tuoli County within the Xinjiang province of China. It is the largest gold deposit in West Junggar and occurs in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. It is located less than one hour by road from Karamay. The area has an elevation of 1,300 with hills and minimal vegetation.
Sheri Meyerhoffer is a Canadian lawyer and the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise.