Business and Human Rights

NOTICES AND NEWS
NOTICES
 
OECD to host inaugural global forum on responsible business conduct (Paris, 26-27 Jun). This event is open to NHRIs http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/1018001
 
 
NEWS
 
Corporate respect for human rights: sustainability's new black? Article
 
 
Guidelines for multinational enterprises -OECD and National  Human Rights Institutions join forces to promote respect of human rights by multinational companies.
 
07/11/2012 - The OECD and the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC) concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote respect by multinational enterprises of the new human rights chapter of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (the Guidelines) and the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights upon which the Guidelines are based.
 
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO OOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) AND THE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS (ICC) English / French / Spanish / Arabic

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INTRODUCTION

The ICC Working Group on Business and Human Rights

On 15 June 2011, in its Resolution A/HRC/17/L.17/Rev.1, the UN Human Rights Council welcomes, "...the important role of national human rights institutions established in accordance with the Paris Principles in relation to business and human rights, and encourages national human rights institutions to further develop their capacity to fulfil that role effectively, including with the support of the Office of the High Commissioner and in addressing all relevant actors...".
 
This statement by the UN Human Rights Council followed two years of advocacy by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), led by the ICC Working Group on Business and Human Rights, to increase understanding and raise awareness of NHRIs' role and mandate in addressing business and human rights issues.
 
The ICC Working Group on Business and Human Rights is the first thematic working group of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC). The Working Group was established by the ICC in March 2009. It held its first meeting in Copenhagen in August 2009.
 
The Working Group's purpose is to promote capacity building, strategic collaboration, advocacy and outreach by NHRIs in the human rights and business area.
Activities of the Working Group include:
  • promoting integration of human rights and business issues into NHRI strategies and programmes, nationally, regionally and internationally;
  • building capacity of NHRIs on business and human rights, through skills development and sharing of tools and best practices;
  • facilitating NHRI participation in development of relevant legal and policy frameworks; and
  • supporting NHRI outreach to business and human rights stakeholders.