Open Message from PWYP Global Coalition to US-listed EITI Companies
See the list of responses collected by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.
Open message from the Publish What You Pay global coalition (1 February 2017)
To US-listed EITI-supporting companies:
Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, ArcelorMittal, Barrick Gold, BHP Billiton, BP, Chevron, Conoco Philips, Eni, Exxon Mobil, Freeport-McMoran, Glencore, Goldcorp, Gold Fields, Hess Corporation, Hudbay, Iamgold, Kinross, Kosmos Energy, Marathon Oil, Newmont Mining, Noble Energy, PEMEX, Petrobras, Rio Tinto, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil, Teck Resources, Total, and Vale SA
Help defend the Cardin-Lugar anti-corruption rule and the global extractive industry transparency standard
Certain US legislators are seeking to use the Congressional Review Act to void the Cardin-Lugar anti-corruption rule (Dodd-Frank Act 2010, Section 1504). To roll back this rule would be a retrogressive step for oil, gas and mining industry transparency and for the global battle against corruption.
Country- and project-level reporting of extractive industry payments is essential for citizens in resource-rich countries to hold their governments accountable for how they use the massive revenues they receive for their finite natural resources from companies. Oil, gas and mining companies need payment disclosure to maintain their social license to operate.
Without payment transparency, citizens cannot know how much money extractive companies pay to dictatorial and non-transparent governments such as in Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Kazakhstan.
Fredrik Reinfeldt, Chair of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), stated this week:
“The [US Securities and Exchange Commission] took great care in drafting these rules in consultation with industry to ensure that they complement the EITI’s efforts and avoid unnecessary duplication.
I would urge Congress to consider this matter thoroughly and to ensure that any action does not undermine the hard-won gains in this arena.”(http://bit.ly/2kn50RL)
The US Government has recognized that anti-corruption measures such as Dodd-Frank 1504 are essential to fighting terrorism.
As a responsible US-listed and EITI–supporting extractive company, please help defend the Cardin-Lugar rule by speaking out publicly in its favor and urging the US Congress and Senate to maintain the rule intact.
We look forward to seeing your company statement. Please send statements towmardini@pwypusa.organd cc to Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, which is tracking US-listed EITI-supporting companies that do and do not make statements, atregaignon@business-humanrights.org
Faithfully yours
Publish What You Pay International Secretariat
Publish What You Pay United States
NGO Coalition on EITI Azerbaijan (Publish What You Pay-affiliated)
Publish What You Pay Cameroon
Publish What You Pay Canada
Publiez Ce Que Vous Payez Guinée
Publiez Ce Que Vous Payez Payez Senegal
Publish What You Pay (NGO Consortium on EITI Promotion) Kyrgyzstan
Publish What You Pay Malawi
Publish What You Pay Mozambique
Publish What You Pay Netherlands
Publish What You Pay Norway
Publish What You Pay South Africa Coalition
Publish What You Pay Uganda
Publish What You Pay United Kingdom
Publish What You Pay Zambia
Publish What You Pay member organisations:
Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Nigeria
HDC “Tree of Life”, Kyrgyz Republic
Luta Hamutuk Institute, Timor Leste
Lumiere Synergie pour le Developpement, Senegal
Mineral Policy Institute, Australia
Partnership Africa Canada
Public Association for Assistance to Free Economy, Azerbaijan
Public Eye (formerly Berne Declaration), Switzerland
SWISSAID, Switzerland