"We consider the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in all our activities."
Márcia Balisciano, Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, RELX (2023)
Scientists who began a dialogue with Elsevier about its facilitation of fossil fuel expansion announced a human rights grievance mechanism, which can include anyone wishing to address Elsevier's negative impacts. Learn more and decide if you or your organization care to be involved.
Scientists who began a dialogue with Elsevier about its facilitation of new fossil fuel projects have announced a human rights grievance mechanism, something that can include anyone wishing to address Elsevier's negative impacts. Learn more and decide if you or your organization care to be involved.
LATEST UPDATE
Initial statements and questions were sent to the company's Board of Directors in February 2024, along with an explanatory human rights complaint that was also submitted to The Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council. In May 2024, RELX CEO Erik Engstrom and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility Márcia Balisciano were contacted to understand when the company will provide answers to questions that were submitted.
FULL TEXTREPORT TO THE UNAt the launch of this initiative, Elsevier was listed as a member in an industry group with oil majors misaligned even with 2.5°C of global heating by 2100—and still uncovering more resources. 5 are being sued for "discrediting science."
Elsevier and its parent company RELX have insufficiently considered the human rights impacts of accelerating fossil fuel discoveries for years. In 2021, employees pointed to the company’s neglect of its UNGP human rights obligations, just as scientist groups did in 2022—and as the UN has done with other companies still facilitating fossil fuel expansion, pointing to "significantly worsened climate change-related human rights impacts." A grievance mechanism can involve anyone seeking to generate dialogue, mitigation, and access to remedy. All voices are welcome and needed in such a process—will you lend yours?
The company is neglecting its human rights obligations by facilitating new fossil fuel projects around the world.
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The UNGP grievance mechanism is open to all stakeholders concerned about the company's business activity.
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Concerns have been raised by scientists, organizations, and the company's employees and customers.
Learn more"We consider the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in all our activities."
"If this were the case, Elsevier would be 'discontinuing activities with potentially adverse climate change-related human rights impacts'…We are concerned that RELX/Elsevier is not living up to its ethical commitments.”
"We have to keep fossil fuels in the ground…life on Earth really does depend on how fast we can do this…There’s no more room [in the carbon budget] for fossil fuel expansion.”
“We may disagree because the world still needs fossil fuels...We do provide data and analytics and information” for customers still engaged in fossil fuel expansion.
