Samsung faces charges in France over “misleading” advertising that touted its commitment to workers’ rights despite allegations of children working in some of its factories under abusive conditions.
Two non-governmental organisations accuse the smartphone maker’s French subsidiary of employing children aged under 16 at plants in China, Vietnam and South Korea, as well as enforcing abusive working hours, providing accommodation that is “incompatible with human dignity”, and endangering workers’ lives.
Samsung disputed the validity of the complaint but declined to comment on the specific allegations because proceedings are ongoing.
Labour-rights NGOs Sherpa and ActionAid France filed a complaint in June 2018 under new rules that apply a “duty of vigilance” to large companies to ensure human rights are respected throughout their supply chains.
Samsung’s website proclaims its firm commitment to labour rights, which the NGOs say has not been met and therefore French consumers have been misled.
1/50 4 July 2019
Hindu devotees dance as they take part in the annual Rath Yatra, or chariot procession, in Ahmedabad, India
Reuters
2/50 3 July 2019
Smoke billows and flames propagate across the hillside near houses after the Stromboli volcano erupted in the north of Sicily. It killed a hiker and sent tourists fleeing into the sea
AFP/Getty
3/50 2 July 2019
An orangutan looks out of its cage in the controversial Pata Zoo in Thailand. Located at the top of a department store, the zoo has been controversial for keeping animals in tiny, concrete cages
EPA
4/50 1 July 2019
A protester breaks in to the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong during a protest on the 22nd anniversary of the territory’s handover to China from Britain
Reuters
5/50 30 June 2019
Riot police use rubber pellets to disperse LGBT rights activists as they try to gather for a pride parade, which was banned by the governorship, in central Istanbul, Turkey
Reuters
6/50 29 June 2019
A member of the LGBTQ community participates in the Metro Manila Pride parade in Marikina City, Philippines
Reuters
7/50 28 June 2019
Explosive charges blow up the remaining sections of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy after it partially collapsed last year killing 43 and injuring dozens
AFP/Getty
8/50 27 June 2019
A forest fire flare up in Ziltendorf near Frankfurt, Germany as mainland Europe suffers an intense heatwave
AFP/Getty
9/50 26 June 2019
One of the world’s most hazardous volcanoes, Mount Ulawun in Papua New Guinea, erupts spewing lava and ash high into the air
AFP/Getty
10/50 25 June 2019
A Russian Soyuz MS-11 space capsule carrying astronauts returning from the International Space Station lands in the steppes of south-east Kazakhstan
AP
11/50 24 June 2019
An aerial view shows a crater on a barley field near Ahlbach. Experts assume that an air bomb of the WWII probably exploded at a depth of several metres as a result of the triggering of the chemical detonator.
AFP/Getty
12/50 23 June 2019
People gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic. Protesters are on calling on Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis to step down over fraud allegations and subsidies paid to his former companies
AP
13/50 22 June 2019
Policemen push back anti-coal activists after they entered the open-cast mine Garzweiler, western Germany. The activists tried to reach and occupy the massive open-cast lignite mine in a protest to demand action against global warming, now one of the hottest issues on the European political agenda
AFP/Getty
14/50 21 June 2019
The silhouette of a girl performing yoga on the rocky crest of the Ancient Observatory Kokino on the occasion of fifth International Yoga Day, which is also the day of the summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 km northeast of Skopje, dates more than 4.000 years back in time. It is ranked by Nasa as the fourth ancient observatory in the world
AFP/Getty
15/50 20 June 2019
Indian residents get water from a community well in Chennai after reservoirs for the city ran dry. The drought is the worst in living memory for the bustling capital of Tamil Nadu state, India’s sixth largest city, that is getting less than two thirds of the 830 million litres of water it normally uses each day
AFP/Getty
16/50 19 June 2019
Several new policemen, of Catalan regional Mossos d’Esquadra Police, throw their caps after their graduation ceremony in Mollet del Valles, Barcelona. A total of 804 new officers attended the ceremony
EPA
17/50 18 June 2019
Rescuers carry out an injured man from an earthquake-damaged building in Yibin, in China’s southwest Sichuan province. The toll from the strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake rose to 12 dead and 134 injured as rescuers pulled bodies and survivors from wrecked buildings
AFP/Getty
18/50 17 June 2019
A protester wears a yellow raincoat to pay tribute to a man who died after falling from a scaffolding at the Pacific Place complex while protesting against the extradition bill. People have been demanding Hong Kong’s leaders to step down and withdraw the bill
Reuters
19/50 16 June 2019
A fan watches on at the ICC Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester
Action/Reuters
20/50 15 June 2019
Nearly 15,000 Dutch people gather in Valenciennes to support their women’s football team playing against Cameroon at the city’s Hainaut stadium
AFP/Getty
21/50 14 June 2019
A worker attaches a US flag to a mast before fixing it along the side of a road with other Israeli flags in the settlement of Qela Bruchim in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Israel’s cabinet will meet in the Golan Heights to honour US President Donald Trump and vote on naming a settlement there after him, the prime minister’s office announced
AFP/Getty
22/50 13 June 2019
French President Emmanuel Macron walks past the coffins of the three National Society of Sea Rescue (SNSM) ocean rescue volunteers, who died in a storm last week after their boat capsized, during a ceremony in their tribute at Fort-Saint Nicolas in Les Sables d’Olonne, France
AFP/Getty
23/50 12 June 2019
Police clash with protesters during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong. Violent clashes broke out as police tried to stop protesters storming the city’s parliament, while tens of thousands of people blocked key arteries in a show of strength against government plans to allow extraditions to China
AFP/Getty
24/50 11 June 2019
Botswana became the latest country to decriminalise homosexuality, celebrated by activists as a day of “pride, compassion and love.”
In the landmark ruling, the southern African nation’s High Court rejected sections of the penal code that criminalise same-sex relations and impose up to seven years in prison
AP
25/50 10 June 2019
A participant of the Koetztinger Whitsun Ride stands with his horse on a street near Bad Koetzingen, Germany. The procession of around 900 riders is one of the oldest Bavarian events
AP
26/50 9 June 2019
Police officers use pepper spray against protesters in Hong Kong. People took to the streets on Sunday to protest a proposed amendment to the extradition law that protesters fear would allow Hong Kong citizens to be unfairly extradited to China
AP
27/50 8 June 2019
A participant dances while holding a large rainbow flag during the Athens Gay Pride. Thousands marched in the 15th annual Athens Pride parade that was dedicated to the memory of a LGBTI activist who died earlier this year after a violent attack. Greek capital’s Syntagma square, the venue of violent anti-austerity protests during the peak of the financial crisis, was full of rainbow flags as well as body painting kiosks for the more than 7,000 participants
AFP/Getty
28/50 7 June 2019
A man walks past a billboard showing members of the French women’s World Cup football team on the side of a building on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris. The 2019 tournament starts this evening with the hosts playing South Korea
Reuters
29/50 6 June 2019
Canadian’s Army officer stands during the international ceremony on Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, Normandy, northwestern France, as part of D-Day commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy
AFP/Getty
30/50 5 June 2019
Queen Elizabeth II and US President Donald Trump at an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, in Portsmouth
Reuters
31/50 4 June 2019
Muslim worshippers gather to perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Martyrs Square of the capital Tripoli. Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid al-Fitr marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
AFP/Getty
32/50 3 June 2019
President Donald Trump reviews an honor guard during a ceremonial welcome in the garden of Buckingham Palace in London
AP
33/50 2 June 2019
A cruise ship crashed into a dock and a tourist river boat on one of Venice’s busiest canals. Four people were injured in the smash, Venice port authorities reported. It happened on the Giudecca Canal – a major thoroughfare that leads to Saint Mark’s Square – on Sunday morning at 8.30am
AFP/Getty
34/50 1 June 2019
Supporters arrive at Wanda Metropolitano stadium for the Champions League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in Madrid
EPA
35/50 31 May 2019
A Palestinian girl cool off by water to beat the scorching heat, as others pray outside the Dome of the Rock at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during the last Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,31 May 2019. Israeli police Friday morning shot and killed a Palestinian young man following an alleged stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Old City. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts daily between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the Koran’s first verse was revealed during its last 10 nights.
EPA
36/50 30 May 2019
Serena Williams in action during her second round match against Japan’s Kurumi Nara. The 23-time grand slam winner went through to the next round 6-3, 6-2
Reuters
37/50 29 May 2019
Ken Wyatt is sworn in as Minister for Indigenous Australians by Australia’s Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra, Australia. Scott Morrison announced his new ministry on Sunday 26 May, following his victory in the May 18 Federal election. The new Cabinet features a record number of women with seven taking on senior roles, including Bridget McKenzie as the first female Agriculture Minister. Ken Wyatt is the first indigenous person to be appointed the Indigenous Affairs Minister
Getty
38/50 28 May 2019
People look on as they examine the damaged remains of school in Dayton, Ohio, after powerful tornadoes ripped through the US state overnight, causing at least one fatality and widespread damage and power outages
AFP/Getty
39/50 27 May 2019
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a State Banquet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito, second from right, and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
AP
40/50 26 May 2019
Former Italian PM and leader of the right-wing party Forza Italia Silvio Berlusconi looks at photographers as he casts his vote at a polling station in Milan
AFP/Getty
41/50 25 May 2019
A paramilitary soldier stands guard in front of closed shops during restrictions in downtown area of Srinagar
EPA
42/50 24 May 2019
Pope Francis gestures as he participates alongside thousands of soccer-mad children in a project to promote the values of sport and soccer, at the Vatican
Reuters
43/50 23 May 2019
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate their party’s potential win as votes are counted for the Lok Sabha election in Bangalore, India. The Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, elections, began on 11 April and held for 542 of the 543 lower house seats. A party or alliance needs 272 seats to form a government. It was announced that Narendra Modi was to retain the position of Prime Minister along with the BJP
EPA
44/50 22 May 2019
Palestinian children help their father sort through arugula produce before he heads to sell it at a market, in an impoverished area in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip
AFP/Getty
45/50 21 May 2019
Indonesia’s Incumbent President from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Joko Widodo takes a selfie with local residents after his victory speech following the announcement of the election results at a slum area in Jakarta. Joko Widodo was re-elected after beating his rival, retired General Prabowo Subianto
EPA
46/50 20 May 2019
President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky holding an ancient Bulava (historical symbol of the state power) during his inauguration in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev. Mr Zelensky with 73,22 percent of the votes beat out the current president Petro Poroshenko, who received 24,45 percent of the votes during the second tour of presidential elections in Ukraine which was held on 21 April
Presidential Press Service/EPA
47/50 19 May 2019
Sudanese protesters gather for a sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum. Talks between Sudan’s ruling military council and protesters are set to resume, army rulers announced, as Islamic movements rallied for the inclusion of sharia in the country’s roadmap
AFP/Getty
48/50 18 May 2019
James Hinchcliffe of Canada rolls his car after hitting the wall during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar auto race in Indiana, US
AP
49/50 17 May 2019
Taiwan became first state in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Thousands of gay rights supporters gathered outside parliament in Taipei during the debate
EPA
50/50 16 May 2019
Spectators watch as riders take the start of stage six of the 102nd Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy, race, 238kms from Cassino to San Giovanni Rotondo
AFP/Getty
1/50 4 July 2019
Hindu devotees dance as they take part in the annual Rath Yatra, or chariot procession, in Ahmedabad, India
Reuters
2/50 3 July 2019
Smoke billows and flames propagate across the hillside near houses after the Stromboli volcano erupted in the north of Sicily. It killed a hiker and sent tourists fleeing into the sea
AFP/Getty
3/50 2 July 2019
An orangutan looks out of its cage in the controversial Pata Zoo in Thailand. Located at the top of a department store, the zoo has been controversial for keeping animals in tiny, concrete cages
EPA
4/50 1 July 2019
A protester breaks in to the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong during a protest on the 22nd anniversary of the territory’s handover to China from Britain
Reuters
5/50 30 June 2019
Riot police use rubber pellets to disperse LGBT rights activists as they try to gather for a pride parade, which was banned by the governorship, in central Istanbul, Turkey
Reuters
6/50 29 June 2019
A member of the LGBTQ community participates in the Metro Manila Pride parade in Marikina City, Philippines
Reuters
7/50 28 June 2019
Explosive charges blow up the remaining sections of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy after it partially collapsed last year killing 43 and injuring dozens
AFP/Getty
8/50 27 June 2019
A forest fire flare up in Ziltendorf near Frankfurt, Germany as mainland Europe suffers an intense heatwave
AFP/Getty
9/50 26 June 2019
One of the world’s most hazardous volcanoes, Mount Ulawun in Papua New Guinea, erupts spewing lava and ash high into the air
AFP/Getty
10/50 25 June 2019
A Russian Soyuz MS-11 space capsule carrying astronauts returning from the International Space Station lands in the steppes of south-east Kazakhstan
AP
11/50 24 June 2019
An aerial view shows a crater on a barley field near Ahlbach. Experts assume that an air bomb of the WWII probably exploded at a depth of several metres as a result of the triggering of the chemical detonator.
AFP/Getty
12/50 23 June 2019
People gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic. Protesters are on calling on Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis to step down over fraud allegations and subsidies paid to his former companies
AP
13/50 22 June 2019
Policemen push back anti-coal activists after they entered the open-cast mine Garzweiler, western Germany. The activists tried to reach and occupy the massive open-cast lignite mine in a protest to demand action against global warming, now one of the hottest issues on the European political agenda
AFP/Getty
14/50 21 June 2019
The silhouette of a girl performing yoga on the rocky crest of the Ancient Observatory Kokino on the occasion of fifth International Yoga Day, which is also the day of the summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 km northeast of Skopje, dates more than 4.000 years back in time. It is ranked by Nasa as the fourth ancient observatory in the world
AFP/Getty
15/50 20 June 2019
Indian residents get water from a community well in Chennai after reservoirs for the city ran dry. The drought is the worst in living memory for the bustling capital of Tamil Nadu state, India’s sixth largest city, that is getting less than two thirds of the 830 million litres of water it normally uses each day
AFP/Getty
16/50 19 June 2019
Several new policemen, of Catalan regional Mossos d’Esquadra Police, throw their caps after their graduation ceremony in Mollet del Valles, Barcelona. A total of 804 new officers attended the ceremony
EPA
17/50 18 June 2019
Rescuers carry out an injured man from an earthquake-damaged building in Yibin, in China’s southwest Sichuan province. The toll from the strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake rose to 12 dead and 134 injured as rescuers pulled bodies and survivors from wrecked buildings
AFP/Getty
18/50 17 June 2019
A protester wears a yellow raincoat to pay tribute to a man who died after falling from a scaffolding at the Pacific Place complex while protesting against the extradition bill. People have been demanding Hong Kong’s leaders to step down and withdraw the bill
Reuters
19/50 16 June 2019
A fan watches on at the ICC Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester
Action/Reuters
20/50 15 June 2019
Nearly 15,000 Dutch people gather in Valenciennes to support their women’s football team playing against Cameroon at the city’s Hainaut stadium
AFP/Getty
21/50 14 June 2019
A worker attaches a US flag to a mast before fixing it along the side of a road with other Israeli flags in the settlement of Qela Bruchim in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Israel’s cabinet will meet in the Golan Heights to honour US President Donald Trump and vote on naming a settlement there after him, the prime minister’s office announced
AFP/Getty
22/50 13 June 2019
French President Emmanuel Macron walks past the coffins of the three National Society of Sea Rescue (SNSM) ocean rescue volunteers, who died in a storm last week after their boat capsized, during a ceremony in their tribute at Fort-Saint Nicolas in Les Sables d’Olonne, France
AFP/Getty
23/50 12 June 2019
Police clash with protesters during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong. Violent clashes broke out as police tried to stop protesters storming the city’s parliament, while tens of thousands of people blocked key arteries in a show of strength against government plans to allow extraditions to China
AFP/Getty
24/50 11 June 2019
Botswana became the latest country to decriminalise homosexuality, celebrated by activists as a day of “pride, compassion and love.”
In the landmark ruling, the southern African nation’s High Court rejected sections of the penal code that criminalise same-sex relations and impose up to seven years in prison
AP
25/50 10 June 2019
A participant of the Koetztinger Whitsun Ride stands with his horse on a street near Bad Koetzingen, Germany. The procession of around 900 riders is one of the oldest Bavarian events
AP
26/50 9 June 2019
Police officers use pepper spray against protesters in Hong Kong. People took to the streets on Sunday to protest a proposed amendment to the extradition law that protesters fear would allow Hong Kong citizens to be unfairly extradited to China
AP
27/50 8 June 2019
A participant dances while holding a large rainbow flag during the Athens Gay Pride. Thousands marched in the 15th annual Athens Pride parade that was dedicated to the memory of a LGBTI activist who died earlier this year after a violent attack. Greek capital’s Syntagma square, the venue of violent anti-austerity protests during the peak of the financial crisis, was full of rainbow flags as well as body painting kiosks for the more than 7,000 participants
AFP/Getty
28/50 7 June 2019
A man walks past a billboard showing members of the French women’s World Cup football team on the side of a building on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris. The 2019 tournament starts this evening with the hosts playing South Korea
Reuters
29/50 6 June 2019
Canadian’s Army officer stands during the international ceremony on Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, Normandy, northwestern France, as part of D-Day commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy
AFP/Getty
30/50 5 June 2019
Queen Elizabeth II and US President Donald Trump at an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, in Portsmouth
Reuters
31/50 4 June 2019
Muslim worshippers gather to perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Martyrs Square of the capital Tripoli. Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid al-Fitr marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
AFP/Getty
32/50 3 June 2019
President Donald Trump reviews an honor guard during a ceremonial welcome in the garden of Buckingham Palace in London
AP
33/50 2 June 2019
A cruise ship crashed into a dock and a tourist river boat on one of Venice’s busiest canals. Four people were injured in the smash, Venice port authorities reported. It happened on the Giudecca Canal – a major thoroughfare that leads to Saint Mark’s Square – on Sunday morning at 8.30am
AFP/Getty
34/50 1 June 2019
Supporters arrive at Wanda Metropolitano stadium for the Champions League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in Madrid
EPA
35/50 31 May 2019
A Palestinian girl cool off by water to beat the scorching heat, as others pray outside the Dome of the Rock at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during the last Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,31 May 2019. Israeli police Friday morning shot and killed a Palestinian young man following an alleged stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Old City. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts daily between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the Koran’s first verse was revealed during its last 10 nights.
EPA
36/50 30 May 2019
Serena Williams in action during her second round match against Japan’s Kurumi Nara. The 23-time grand slam winner went through to the next round 6-3, 6-2
Reuters
37/50 29 May 2019
Ken Wyatt is sworn in as Minister for Indigenous Australians by Australia’s Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra, Australia. Scott Morrison announced his new ministry on Sunday 26 May, following his victory in the May 18 Federal election. The new Cabinet features a record number of women with seven taking on senior roles, including Bridget McKenzie as the first female Agriculture Minister. Ken Wyatt is the first indigenous person to be appointed the Indigenous Affairs Minister
Getty
38/50 28 May 2019
People look on as they examine the damaged remains of school in Dayton, Ohio, after powerful tornadoes ripped through the US state overnight, causing at least one fatality and widespread damage and power outages
AFP/Getty
39/50 27 May 2019
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a State Banquet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito, second from right, and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
AP
40/50 26 May 2019
Former Italian PM and leader of the right-wing party Forza Italia Silvio Berlusconi looks at photographers as he casts his vote at a polling station in Milan
AFP/Getty
41/50 25 May 2019
A paramilitary soldier stands guard in front of closed shops during restrictions in downtown area of Srinagar
EPA
42/50 24 May 2019
Pope Francis gestures as he participates alongside thousands of soccer-mad children in a project to promote the values of sport and soccer, at the Vatican
Reuters
43/50 23 May 2019
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate their party’s potential win as votes are counted for the Lok Sabha election in Bangalore, India. The Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, elections, began on 11 April and held for 542 of the 543 lower house seats. A party or alliance needs 272 seats to form a government. It was announced that Narendra Modi was to retain the position of Prime Minister along with the BJP
EPA
44/50 22 May 2019
Palestinian children help their father sort through arugula produce before he heads to sell it at a market, in an impoverished area in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip
AFP/Getty
45/50 21 May 2019
Indonesia’s Incumbent President from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Joko Widodo takes a selfie with local residents after his victory speech following the announcement of the election results at a slum area in Jakarta. Joko Widodo was re-elected after beating his rival, retired General Prabowo Subianto
EPA
46/50 20 May 2019
President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky holding an ancient Bulava (historical symbol of the state power) during his inauguration in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev. Mr Zelensky with 73,22 percent of the votes beat out the current president Petro Poroshenko, who received 24,45 percent of the votes during the second tour of presidential elections in Ukraine which was held on 21 April
Presidential Press Service/EPA
47/50 19 May 2019
Sudanese protesters gather for a sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum. Talks between Sudan’s ruling military council and protesters are set to resume, army rulers announced, as Islamic movements rallied for the inclusion of sharia in the country’s roadmap
AFP/Getty
48/50 18 May 2019
James Hinchcliffe of Canada rolls his car after hitting the wall during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar auto race in Indiana, US
AP
49/50 17 May 2019
Taiwan became first state in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Thousands of gay rights supporters gathered outside parliament in Taipei during the debate
EPA
50/50 16 May 2019
Spectators watch as riders take the start of stage six of the 102nd Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy, race, 238kms from Cassino to San Giovanni Rotondo
AFP/Getty
The activists hailed the decision by a Paris magistrate to file preliminary charges against Samsung France as a landmark moment for corporate accountability. It is one of the first uses of the vigilance law.
Cement firm LafargeHolcim was indicted last year over allegations that it funded armed militant groups in Syria in order to keep its plant in the war-torn country open.
“Companies that benefit from their proclaimed virtuous image must no longer be able to violate their own commitments without facing legal consequences,” said Sandra Cossart, Sherpa’s director.
She said it was now urgent that multinationals’ activities were regulated globally rather than solely at the national level, and called for France’s vigilance law to be adopted elsewhere.
Samsung, which made £175bn in revenue last year, formally apologised in November to the families of hundreds of workers that fell seriously ill in its factories making chips and LCD displays.
More than 250 workers have fallen seriously ill, with some contracting leukemia, after being exposed to toxic chemicals during the manufacture of Samsung products.
Samsung offered up to 150m won (£105,000) to each worker who has contracted cancer or other serious diseases while working at its electronics factories since 1984.
On Thursday, the company said in a statement: “Samsung Electronics believes it is our responsibility to hold ourselves and our suppliers to the highest standards of labour and environmental practices while complying with local regulations.
“Accordingly, when a potential issue is identified, we investigate and, if substantiated, we take the necessary steps to address it.”
