But why do we need these laws?
Many UK companies do work hard to ensure they have a positive impact. But there are also too many cases of exploitation for ethical behaviour to remain a matter of choice.
Stories from the ground
The following reports illustrate some of the problems with multi-national companies. The views expressed in these reports are not necessarily held by Traidcraft.
Tesco
As Tesco announced record £2billion profits lin 2006, thousands of casual women workers picking apples and pears on farms for the supermarket reported poverty wages, dangerous exposure to pesticides and increasingly insecure employment.
It has taken more than two years of campaigning to persuade Tesco to even start addressing the problems.
For more information, download this summary from ActionAid.
Shell
People in the Niger Delta have suffered devastating health and environmental problems through Shell's gas flaring and pollution from oil-drilling activities over the last decade. Despite the fact that Shell publicly committed to eliminating gas flaring in the Delta by 2008, harmful activity has actually increased during recent years.
For more information, download this report from Friends of the Earth.
Wal-Mart and Asda
Wal-Mart and its UK subsidiary Asda says that it wants to create "a better life for all". But reports on its sourcing policies have revealed its widespread use of sweatshop labour in south-east Asia and central America. Earlier this year, Asda Wal-Mart was fined almost £1milllion for illegal anti-trade union activity in north-east England.
For more information, download this report from War on Want.
Palm oil
Palm oil, a vegetable oil found in 1 in 10 supermarket products, is driving rapid rainforest destruction in South East Asia. It is also the biggest threat to the survival of the orang-utan and its production has been repeatedly associated with human rights abuses and violent conflict.
Over 500 UK companies have been trading in palm oil, most for more than a decade. Yet despite high profile public campaigns about its impacts, virtually none of these companies can prove that their palm oil is obtained from non-destructive sources.
For more on Palm oil, download this report from Friends of the Earth.
