Editing British American Tobacco

The Eliminating Child Labor in Tobacco-Growing is a front group for tobacco industry interests under the guise of a corporate social responsibility initiative. Eliminating Child Labor in Tobacco-Growing was co-founded by British American Tobacco and represents an alliance of tobacco companies and growers - led exclusively by members of the tobacco industry. In 2016 every member of the board came from tobacco. <ref>Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, [https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/press-releases/2018_06_08_iloPRESS RELEASE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Calls on ILO to Finally Sever Ties with Deadly Tobacco Industry], June 2018, Accessed 30 September 2018 </REF> The Organization has close ties to the United Nation's agency for labor, the International Labour Organization. The partnership has been ongoing since 2002 and seeks to eliminate child labor and promote workers’ rights in tobacco-growing communities in Brazil, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. <ref> [https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/international-geneva_should-the-ilo-maintain-financial-ties-to-the-tobacco-industry-/44506474 Should the ILO maintain financial ties to the tobacco industry?], ''Swiss Info'', October 2018, Accessed 13 September 2018 </REF> In November 2018, the International Labour Organization announced it would no longer rely on tobacco-industry funding for its projects to end child labor and promote workers’ rights in select tobacco growing communities. The International Labour Organization will no longer rely on its public-private partnerships with the tobacco industry to fund projects on addressing child labor and tobacco workers’ rights in the short term. <ref> [https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.devex.com/news/after-3-deferments-ilo-finally-decides-on-tobacco-industry-funded-projects-93820After 3 deferments, ILO finally decides on tobacco industry-funded projects], ''Devex'', November 2018, Accessed 30 November 2018 </ref> In 2018, Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing provided training and communications to farmers and rural community members to raise awareness of human rights issues, which reached over 134,000 beneficiaries in 2018. {{r|BAT_AR2019|p=30}}

In 2019, British American Tobacco announced the roll-out of VerifY, a scheme aimed at ensuring that all retailers of e-cigarettes are aware of their role in the prevention of access to vaping by under-18s. <ref>[https://www.talkingretail.com/news/industry-news/british-american-tobacco-tackles-youth-vaping-26-02-2019/ British American Tobacco tackles youth vaping], ''Talking Retail'', 26 February 2019, Accessed 21 April 2019 </ref> British American Tobacco Bangladesh was amongst 28 companies honored for practising transparency and good governance in their day-to-day operations by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries of Bangladesh, a professional body tasked with developing, promoting and regulating the profession of chartered secretaries, organised the awards. British American Tobacco Bangladesh won the gold award in the manufacturing category. <ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/improve-corporate-governance-1659280 Improve corporate governance], The ''Daily Star'', November 2018, Accessed 30 November 2018 </REF>

In October 2018 Reuters reported that British American Tobacco ranked second and third (alongside Tesco) on the first Global Governance FTSE 100 League Table. The ranking judges companies based on their compliance with the 2015 Modern Slavery Act. <ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-business-slavery/marks-spencer-tops-list-of-major-british-firms-tackling-modern-slavery-idUSKCN1MX1P9 Marks & Spencer tops list of major British firms tackling modern slavery], ''Reuters'', October 2018, Accessed 31 October 2018 </REF>

In 2016, British American Tobacco Peru and British American Tobacco Central America and Caribbean were “recognised … amongst top employers in LatAm 2016”. British American Tobacco Mexico was recognised as the leading employer in the country and British American Tobacco West Africa won "awards for outstanding employee engagement strategies”. <ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/13/the-problem-with-selling-a-lethal-product-you-just-cant-get-the-staff The problem with selling a lethal product: you just can't get the staff], ''The Guardian'', 13 July 2016, Accessed 21 December 2018 </ref>

In October 2020, British American Tobacco (Malaysia) unveiled its “Stop The Black Market” bus as part of its commitment to engage Malaysians and draw attention to the seriousness of the black market.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/13/the-problem-with-selling-a-lethal-product-you-just-cant-get-the-staff BAT Malaysia hits the streets with ‘Stop The Black Market’ bus], ''The Sun Daily'', 1 October 2020, Accessed 18 November 2020 </ref>  British American Tobacco was named as a "Top Employer" for 2019 in eight countries – Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea and Vietnam, by the Top Employers Institute.

<ref>British American Tobacco website, [https://web.archive.org/save/http://www.bat.com/group/sites/UK__9D9KCY.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DOB7MCUQ We’re a top employer again in Asia-Pacific!], December 20, 2018, Accessed 12 January 2019 </ref>

Bangladesh Labor Welfare Foundation (under the Bangladeshi Ministry of Labor and Employment) has received donations amounting to BDT 23,07,61,480 (approximately USD 2 million) from British American Tobacco Bangladesh. Acceptance of these donations was a clear breach of Guideline 4.10, under Article 5.3, of the WHO treaty Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. <ref>[https://web.archive.org/save/http://www.tobaccoindustrywatchbd.org/article/articledetail/TobaccoWatch/423 BATB deriving favors in return of donation to Labor Welfare Foundation- Govt. not complying FCTC Article 5.3], ''Tobacco Industry Watch'', Accessed 20 July 2019 </ref>