Amol Mehra

The examples above highlight three innovations that help fill the void of government regulation
around human rights. These examples on worker empowerment, multistakeholder standard setting,
and industry self-regulation show that many models are being developed to drive higher human rights
performance across various sectors. For such innovations to succeed and grow, however, governments
will need to become involved and use the various tools they have at their disposal to regulate… Meer weergeven

The examples above highlight three innovations that help fill the void of government regulation
around human rights. These examples on worker empowerment, multistakeholder standard setting,
and industry self-regulation show that many models are being developed to drive higher human rights
performance across various sectors. For such innovations to succeed and grow, however, governments
will need to become involved and use the various tools they have at their disposal to regulate, incentivize,
sanction, and reward leaders and laggards on human rights.
Procurement provides one relatively powerful yet less extensive approach to regulation and should
be explored to support and fuel other innovations. However, governments should use other regulatory
tools such as the creation of strong and enforceable civil and criminal sanctions against violators of
human rights, including violations perpetrated by corporations.
Globalization has clear governance gaps. While the efforts above can create patches around them,
they ultimately need to be filled by strong government action. The future of efforts to promote human
rights and human dignity lies in solving the challenges of globalization. Failure in this endeavor and
continued growth in inequality will lead countries to slip further into isolationism and nationalism,
subverting aims of bolstering human rights across this world. Minder weergeven

Across the globe, workers are at risk of being placed into forced labour, trafficked or enslaved at various points including during recruitment, hiring and employment. By engaging in the production, purchase and sale of goods produced by forced or trafficked labourers, businesses bear responsibility for the impact of human rights on their supply chains. Although many companies are taking positive steps to address this risk, others lag behind. Positive business initiatives seem largely to be… Meer weergeven

Across the globe, workers are at risk of being placed into forced labour, trafficked or enslaved at various points including during recruitment, hiring and employment. By engaging in the production, purchase and sale of goods produced by forced or trafficked labourers, businesses bear responsibility for the impact of human rights on their supply chains. Although many companies are taking positive steps to address this risk, others lag behind. Positive business initiatives seem largely to be motivated by pressure from regulators, consumers or investors, rather than the threat of criminal law enforcement. In most countries, modern forms of slavery are criminalized, but few prosecutions have occurred at the national level. Modern forms of slavery persist and businesses continue to be involved in the perpetration of such harms. In light of this, this article will argue that despite promising business and government responses to addressing modern forms of slavery in supply chains, gaps in protection, at both the domestic and international levels, may contribute to the persistence of these offences. The article will first detail the ways international criminal law and the corporate responsibility to respect human rights could shape companies’ responses. It will then examine current approaches to addressing modern forms of slavery as well as gaps in protection associated with voluntary company actions, company efforts in response to regulatory requirements and government led remedial measures. Minder weergeven

With the rise in corporate reporting on human rights issues comes critical concern over its utility in improving a company’s human rights performance on the ground. The sheer number of reports being produced and the diverse topics that such reports aim to cover have created cottage industries for corporate social responsibility (CSR) consultancies while, at times, burdening in-house practitioners and overloading the consuming public. With all of this activity, a key question arises: does… Meer weergeven

With the rise in corporate reporting on human rights issues comes critical concern over its utility in improving a company’s human rights performance on the ground. The sheer number of reports being produced and the diverse topics that such reports aim to cover have created cottage industries for corporate social responsibility (CSR) consultancies while, at times, burdening in-house practitioners and overloading the consuming public. With all of this activity, a key question arises: does reporting lead to the establishment of strong systems and policies within companies that detect and mitigate actual or potential human rights impacts? If not, how can reporting be appropriately structured to deliver on these results? Do current reporting frameworks enable public accountability of corporate human rights conduct? If not, what needs to be done to enable accountability?

Ultimately, if reporting is refocused to address a number of key criteria, it can lead to improved human rights performance, thereby creating both internal systems and the accountability mechanisms needed to anticipate and address human rights harms and to communicate these efforts effectively.
Minder weergeven

This report aims to support the development, implementation, and review of National Action Plans (NAPs) on business and human rights. It does so by providing a "NAPs Toolkit" that is intended to guide and assist governments and other actors in producing both National Baseline Assessments (NBAs) of current State implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and actual NAPs on business and human rights. It also presents a mapping and analysis of options at the… Meer weergeven

This report aims to support the development, implementation, and review of National Action Plans (NAPs) on business and human rights. It does so by providing a "NAPs Toolkit" that is intended to guide and assist governments and other actors in producing both National Baseline Assessments (NBAs) of current State implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and actual NAPs on business and human rights. It also presents a mapping and analysis of options at the international and regional levels for monitoring and review of NAPs once they are developed in order to optimize their value within and between countries as a means for improving governance, regulation, and, ultimately, respect for human rights. Minder weergeven

The historical underpinnings of the corporate account-ability movement within the United Nations are examined first, followed by consideration of other international instruments and how they have contributed to the growth of corporate accountability. The discussion then turns to the work and mandate of the UN Special Representative on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, including an analysis of the Guiding Principles to the Protect, Respect… Meer weergeven

The historical underpinnings of the corporate account-ability movement within the United Nations are examined first, followed by consideration of other international instruments and how they have contributed to the growth of corporate accountability. The discussion then turns to the work and mandate of the UN Special Representative on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, including an analysis of the Guiding Principles to the Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework. The paper concludes with recommendations for steps that the international community should adopt to advance the corporate accountability movement, including mechanisms for redress. Minder weergeven

Joint report submitted by International Committee of National Lawyers Guild, Proceso de Comunidades Negras de Colombia, AFRODES USA, Human Rights Advocates, Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti, and RightRespect