Read the initial statement published 24 August 2021: English
On 9 October 2020, a group of former workers of Pharmakina SA, a company active in quinine production in the Democratic Republic of Congo, represented by an individual, submitted a specific instance to the Irish NCP alleging that Schweppes Holdings Limited, an Ireland-based company active in the food and beverage sector, had not observed the General Policies (Chapter II), Human Rights (Chapter IV), Employment and Industrial Relations (Chapter V), Environment (Chapter VI), and Combating Bribery, Bribe Solicitations and Extortion (Chapter VII) provisions of the Guidelines. Specifically, the issues related to the purchase of quinine from Pharmakina SA, a company which the submitters claimed was not adhering to the aforementioned chapters of the Guidelines.
As the company is a subsidiary of a US multinational enterprise, the Ireland NCP notified the US NCP of the complaint.
On 24 August 2021, the Irish NCP published an intitial assessment concluding the case as not accepted, notably because the link between the company and the issues could not be ascertained, as, the submission did not provide sufficient indications as to the existence of a business relationship between Pharmakina SA and Schweppes Holdings Limited.