Twistor functions according to a code of ethics; this means that a judgement is made as to whether a site will be included in the index or not. This attitude has been adopted in the hope that it might make individuals and more particularly, organisations, consider the consequences of their actions before embarking or continuing on a particular course.

Twistor levies a charge for submission and reviews each site according to the guidelines below before confirming its inclusion. Please read these carefully before making a submission.

Twistor staff make every effort to establish that the submissions within the index conform to the guidelines below. Please tell us if you discover a site within our index that breaks the guidelines.

Twistor Guidelines

We will not allow submissions from contributors to any of the following:

Ecology - Climate change through human activity:

Twistor will not accept submissions from organisations whose core activity knowingly and negatively contributes to:

  • global climate change
  • global climate change, through the extraction or production of fossil fuels
  • the manufacture of chemicals which are persistent in the environment and linked to long term health concerns
  • the unsustainable harvest of natural resources, including timber and fish

State organisations in countries with poor human rights records, including:

  • governments and government departments
  • armed services and police forces
  • state-owned industries, organisations operating in countries where there exists the highest degree of concern over the maintenance of human rights, where the nature of the business is particularly socially or environmentally contentious
  • organisations which show ongoing failure to address human rights issues within their sphere of influence

Organisations which:

  • manufacture for or sell to oppressive regimes systems (or products) that kill, maim or destroy
  • issue licences for the production of armaments for oppressive regimes to
  • individuals or organisations involved in the brokerage of armaments to oppressive regimes
  • export products to oppressive regimes that, while not designed to kill, maim or destroy, are parts for equipment which have a battlefield application or are essential to the operation of a weapon, such as radar and electronic warfare, military communications and armour
  • manufacture torture equipment, including electroshock batons and leg irons
  • manufacture equipment used for execution purposes
  • manufacture and export to oppressive regimes equipment that could be used in the violation of human rights, including water canons, security equipment and surveillance equipment

Global Trade:

Twistor will not accept submissions from:

  • companies whose behaviour has been the subject of major criticisms of conditions in their supply chain, which they have failed to remedy
  • any company, regardless of size, which is the subject of 'continuing criticism' for not complying with labour standards that it is in a position to influence
  • any company where there is no evidence of a genuine commitment to address reported failings in their marketing practices or which cannot supply answers to reported criticisms of marketing practices
  • any company restricting freedom of association

GM Crops:

Twistor will not accept submissions from companies:

  • involved in the uncontrolled release of GMOs into the environment
  • producing GM crops which threaten biodiversity
  • developing Terminator technologies
  • responsible for releases of pathological organisms
  • which restrict access to genetic information of staple food crops
  • which restrict access to human genetic information which has negative implications for research
  • which clone or genetically modify animals for medical proteins or food purposes
  • involved in xenotransplantation, patent genetic resources or indigenous knowledge unless there is a clear benefit which is accepted by the local communities

Tobacco:

Twistor will not accept submissions from:

  • cigarette and cigar manufacturers and companies that process tobacco for other products, such as pipe tobacco and snuff

Abuse of animals in farming, cosmetics and so called sporting pursuits:

Twistor will not accept submissions from companies involved in:

  • Fox hunting
  • Deer and stag hunting
  • Hare coursing
  • Hare and rabbit hunting
  • The use of ferrets to catch rabbits
  • the use of the battery cage system for egg production
  • intensive poultry farming, by which we mean the farming of broiler chickens,turkeys, ducks and geese which are not free range
  • intensive methods in relation to pig farming, by which we mean farming systems that use dry sow stalls, tether stalls, farrowing crates, flat deck houses or fully enclosed fattening units
  • manufacturing equipment used in intensive farming, including battery cages, pig crates, dry stalls and tethers, nose rings, taildockers and electric goads
  • owning or operating a fur farm, at which animals are kept with a view to their slaughter solely or primarily for the value of their fur
  • manufacturing products from furs. By 'fur products' we mean items of clothing or accessories, principally coats and capes, made from animal fur
  • trapping or hunting wild animals for their furs
  • manufacturing equipment used solely for the fur trade (such as traps, snares or cages)
  • distribution or retailing of items of clothing made from fur, such as coats, capes and hats
  • any aspect of the trade in fur - be that import, export or brokering of fur or fur products
  • animal testing of cosmetic or household products or ingredients

The above is not exhaustive.

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