Protect, Respect, Remedy

Abstract

FOCUS □ BUSINESSAND HUMANRIGHTS Protect, Respect, Remedy I The and behaviour adverse identify, businesses 'due expectation mitigate processes responsible diligence' prevent, impacts is their that use to of responsible behaviouris that businesses use 'due diligence' processes to identify, prevent, and mitigatetheir adverse impacts IUR reprints here the ĪTtlC's Briefing Note for Trade Unionists on the Framework for Business and Human Rights and the United Nations Sulding Principles for Business and Human Rights Whatis the UN'Protect,Respect Remedy' Framework forBusiness and HumanRights? The to rights UN provide is Framework a 'conceptual a common for framework' Business basis for and developed how Human to rights isa 'conceptual framework' developed to providea commonbasis for how to addresstheissueofbusinessand humanrights. It is intendedto influence publicpolicyat the international andnational levels.Theideasofthe Frameworkcan be incorporatedinto laws, treaties, regulations, CSRactivities and company policies.The Framework clarifies the different rolesofbusinessandgovernments as wellas the understanding ofspecific conceptsand terms. The Framework is based on three pillars: 1.TheStateduty toprotect against humanrights abusesbythird parties, including business; 2.Thecorporate (business)responsibility to respect humanrights; and 3.Theneedformoreeffective accessto remedies byvictims ofhumanrights abuse. Thisisformally knownas the'UN'Protect, Respect Remedy' Framework forBusinessand HumanRights' (referred tohereas 'theUN Framework') butis often referred toas the 'Ruggie Framework'. ■ http ://www. reports-and-materials .org/ Ruggie-report-7-Apr-2008.pdf. TheUNFramework wasdevelopedandpresented totheUnited Nations HumanRights Council in April 2008byProfessor John Ruggie whohadbeen designated theSpecialRepresentative of theUN Secretary-General ontheissueofhuman rights and transnational corporations, (referred tohereas the 'SpecialRepresentative'). Whatare the 'GuidingPrincipleson Business and Human Rights'? The 'Guiding Principles on Businessand Human rights: Implementing theUnitedNations 'Protect, Respectand Remedy'Framework' consistof 31 principlesintendedto 'operationalise' the UN Framework. Theywereunanimously endorsedin June2011bytheUN HumanRights Council ■ http://www2 .ohchr.org/ english/bodies/ hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.31_en.pdf Whyare 'the UNFramework'and the 'GuidingPrinciples'important? The UN Framework and theGuidingPrinciples constitute the mostsignificant development in over30 yearswithrespectto international standards of behaviour for business. The UN Framework was formally welcomedby theUN HumanRights Councilin 2008 givingitofficial status and marking thefirst occasionthat theUN body mandatedforhumanrights adoptedsubstantive policyon Businessand HumanRights ■ http://ap.0hchr.0rg/d0cuments/E/HRC/ resolutions/A_HRC_RES_8_7 .pdf. The UN GuidingPrinciples joins The OECD Guidelinesfor Multinational Enterprises (The OECD Guidelines)and theInternational Labour Organisation's Tripartite Declaration ofPrinciples concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy(The ILO MNE Declaration)as a third authoritative, non-legally bindinginternational instrument addressing thebehaviour ofbusiness. ■ http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/ 43/29/ 48004323pdf ■ http://www. ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/ public/ - ed_emp/ - emp_ent/ - multi/ documents/ publication/wcms_094386.pdf Many ofthemostimportant instruments andinitiativesconcerning the social responsibility of business havebeen,orareintheprocess ofbeing, updatedinthelight oftheUNGuiding Principles. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises revised inMay2011nowhavea new chapteron humanrights based on theGuiding Principles. Just as importantly, theyalso incorporatetheGuidingPrinciples ' conceptof due diligence (dealtwithlaterinthisBriefing Note)as a general principlesettingan expectationfor responsible behaviour inareasother thanhuman rights. The International Standard Organisation's (ISO) ISO 26OOO standard on socialresponsibility isfully compatible withtheGuiding Principles. ■ http://www.iso.org/iso/discovering_iso _26000-es.pdf INTERNATIONAL union rights Pa9e 16Volume 19,ssue 4201 2 '[The Guiding Principles are]... the global standard of practice that isnow expected ofallgovernments and business with regard tobusiness andhuman rights. While they donot bythemselves constitute a legally binding document the Guiding Principles elaborate on the implications ofexisting standards and practices for States andbusinesses andinclude points covered variously ininternational law and practice'. The Corporate Responsibility torespect Human Rights anInterpretive Guide ,(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, November 2011), Introduction http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/lssues/Business/ RtRlnterpretativeGuide.pdf The revisionof Global Reporting Initiative's Sustainability Reporting Guidelines scheduledto be completed in 2013 is expectedto reflect the Guiding Principles. The mostimportant ideas The UN Framework and theGuidingPrinciples are 'game changers'thatinvolvenew thinking about businessbehaviourand corporatesocial responsibility (CSR).Someofthemostimportant ideas: ■ TherolesoftheStateandofbusinessare different andindependent ofeachother. States cannotuse thepowerofbusinessas an excusetonotdo their duty toprotect human rights. Businesses cannotuse thefailure ofthe State toprotect as an excusetoavoidtheir responsibility torespect humanrights. ■ Theresponsibility ofbusinesstorespect humanrights appliestoallbusinesses everywhere andincludes allofthe internationally recognised humanrights. The UNGuiding Principles specifically refer tothe ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles andRights atWorkthat isbased on theeight ILO fundamental workers' rights conventions. ■ Theresponsibility torespect meansthat businesses 'shouldavoidinfringing on the humanrights ofothers andshouldaddress adverseimpacts withwhichthey are involved.' ■ Theexpectation ofresponsible behaviour is that businesses use 'due diligence' processes toidentify, prevent, andmitigate their adverse impacts. In addition businesses havea...