Iran, China and Burma have been named as the world’s most oppressive regimes by Ethical Consumer magazine. The research, which examined a wide range of human rights abuses in 196 countries, named Sudan, Yemen, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam as having the worst records on human rights, environmental regulations and corruption. In findings that contribute to the publication’s annual ethical ratings of companies, a reputational touchstone for consumers, Ethical Consumer now deems 39 countries to be oppressive. It said: “Companies dealing with oppressive regimes expose themselves to a very high reputational risk which can ultimately impact on a company’s bottom line. We urge all companies with operations in oppressive regimes to seriously consider their position.”
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