A newly released report entitled “Respect in Practice” sheds light on respect in practice examples, challenges, complexities, and lessons learned, related to the implementation of the Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).
The report issued by the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights (GBI) and the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) considers two perspectives: embedding the UNGPs into company policies, processes and decision-making including establishing a human rights policy commitment, undertaking corporate risk wide mapping, capacity building and human rights training, and creating operational grievance mechanisms. Further, it explores applying the UNGPs in specific cases involving the collaboration between civil society organisations and business such as the relocation of local communities. Examples shared highlight the geographic and industry diversity of companies engaging on business and human rights agenda indicating the global momentum of “respect in practice.”
The report is based on and summarises discussions during a session, which took place on 2nd December 2014, as part of the third UN Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights. The Forum was held in Geneva, Switzerland from 1st – 3rd December 2014, organised under the guidance of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights. GBI and BHRRC prepared this report in their capacity as co-organisers of the session, which aimed to enable a meaningful multi-stakeholder dialogue about corporate respect for human rights in practice.
Note that the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights will issue a separate document, based on this report, which will be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2015. Respect in Practice Report