Business and Human Rights

Developments in International Guidance

Since 2009, the then ICC now GANHRI Working Group on Business and Human Rights has supported engagement and advocacy by NHRIs in the development of key international frameworks addressing human rights in the corporate sphere, including: 
  • Treaty Bodies general comments
  • UN "Protect, Respect, Remedy" Framework and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Right
  • Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises
  • UN Global Compact
  • OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
  • OECD Common Approaches for Export Credit Guarantee Agencies

Treaty Bodies general comments

GANHRI observations on the CESCR Draft General Comment (31.01.2017): CESCR general comment_GANHRI.pdfCESCR general comment_GANHRI.pdf

UN "Protect, Respect, Remedy" Framework and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights 

During 2009-11, the ICC Working Group, with DIHR as Chair, actively engaged with the mandate of the former UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, Prof. John Ruggie, to promote understanding and awareness of the important role of NHRIs in securing implementation of human rights at national level.
 
Following this advocacy, the SRSG's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2011, explicitly recognise the role of NHRIs with regard to all three limbs of the UN's "Protect, Respect, Remedy" framework.
 
In addition, the UN Human Rights Council Resolution approving the Guiding Principles, and establishing a new UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, explicitly affirms the application of the NHRI Paris Principles mandate to business and human rights issues. It also welcomes efforts by NHRIs to build their capacity to address abuses in the corporate sphere.
 
NHRIs will continue to support and engage in dialogue with the new UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and Multi-stakeholder Forum established by UN Human Rights Council Resolution A/HRC/17/L.17/Rev.1.
 
 
 

Key documents

February 2011

ICC Submission to the UN Draft Guiding Principles

ENG FR

October 2010

Statement  by 6 NHRIs to OHCHR Consultation on Business and Human Rights: Operationalizing the "Protect, Respect, Remedy" Framework

ENG ESP FR

June 2010

Report of Side Event  to the HRC 14th Session: Human Rights and Business and the Role of NHRIs

ENG ESP FR

​March 2010

​​Submission to the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Agribusiness, 13th Session of the Human Rights Council

​ENG​

June 2009

Report of Side Event to the HRC 11th Session: Engaging NHRIs in Securing the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Business

Report_SideEvent_ENG.pdfReport_SideEvent_ENG.pdf

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UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises
 
With Resolution A/HRC/17/4, the UN Human Rights Council established a Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, consisting of five independent experts, of balanced geographic representation, for a period of three years. The link to their mandate and work is enclosed at:
http://ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/WGHRandtransnationalcorporationsandotherbusiness.aspx 
 
To date, the ICC WG on BHR has presented a written submission (December 2011) and two verbal statements (January 2012 and May 2012) to the United Nations Working Group.

The ICC Working Group on Business and Human Rights presented a verbal statement to the UN Human Rights Council regarding the first report of the UN Working Group on business and human rights on 21 June 2012. 
 
The first report by the UN Working Group is found at http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/A.HRC.20.29_AEV.pdf.​  
 
 
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expand Title : 2011-12 - ICC SUBMISSION TO THE UNWG ON TNCS AND OTHER BUSINESS ENTERPRISES DECEMBER 2011 ‎(3)
expand Title : 2012-01 - ICC STATEMENT TO THE UNWG ON TNCS AND OTHER BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 20 JANUARY 2012 ‎(3)
expand Title : 2012-05 - ICC WG on BHR Statement to the UNWG on TNCs and other Business Enterprises - 10 May 2012 ‎(3)
expand Title : ICC WG on BHR Statement 21 June 2012 ‎(3)
 
 
United Nations Global Compact
 
The UN Global Compact is the UN's corporate social responsibility initiative based on ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
 
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Local Networks both have important roles to play in strengthening business respect for human rights at national level.  NHRIs and UNGC Local Networks share the common aim of helping business to understand - and give effect to- their human rights responsibilities. This shared goal offers a starting point for dialogue between NHRIs and UNGC Local Networks to explore opportunities for mutual support and coordination.
 
The ICC Working Group has sought to engage with the UN Global Compact to secure the development of a more strategic approach to UNGC and NHRI cooperation in future, in particular, through:
  • Promoting mutual awareness between NHRIs and UN Global Compact Local Networks
  • Sharing best practices of NHRI-Local Network Cooperation
  • Encouraging mutual information between ICC and UNGC Regional Networks

 

Key documents

May 2011

UNGC Annual Forum: Report of Local Networks Knowledge-Sharing Session on NHRI - UNGC Local Network Cooperation

UNGC_LocalNetworks_ENG.pdfUNGC_LocalNetworks_ENG.pdf

UNGC_LocalNetworks_FR.pdfUNGC_LocalNetworks_FR.pdf

UNGC_LocalNetworks_ESP.pdfUNGC_LocalNetworks_ESP.pdf 

November 2010

Informal Note for UN Global Compact Human Rights Working Group

Informal_Note_ENG.pdfInformal_Note_ENG.pdf

 

 

OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs)
 
The ICC Working Group took an active part in the 2010-11 Review of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and in particular in development of the new human rights chapter of the Guidelines.
 
The ICC made two written submissions on human rights issues to the Review in November 2010 and March 2011.
 
In addition, DIHR, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists jointly organised an Informal Expert Meeting on Human Rights held in Paris in January 2011, which included presentations by the ICC Chair, Rosslyn Noonan, the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples' Rights and a representative of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
 
The OECD's Annual CSR Roundtable, held in June 2011 in Paris, also included a presentation by Dr. Claire Methven O'Brien of DIHR on the role of NHRIs in supporting implementation of the Human Rights Chapter of the Guidelines.
 

Key documents

 

March 2011

2nd ICC Submission to the OECD Guidelines Review

ENG ESP 

2ndSubmission_OECDGuidelines_FR.pdf2ndSubmission_OECDGuidelines_FR.pdf

January 2011

Report of Informal Expert Meeting on the OECD Guidelines for MNEs

ENG ESP FR

November 2010

1st ICC Submission to the OECD Guidelines Review

1stSubmission_OECD_ENG.pdf1stSubmission_OECD_ENG.pdf 

1stSubmission_OECD_FR.pdf1stSubmission_OECD_FR.pdf 

1st ICC Submission_OECD_ESP.pdf1st ICC Submission_OECD_ESP.pdf

October 2010

Report of Side Event on OECD Guidelines Review during the ICC 10th Biennial Conference

ENG

 

 

OECD Common Approaches for Export Credit Guarantee Agencies

 
The ICC has also made a submission regarding the OECD Council Draft Revised Recommendation on Common Approaches on Officially Supported Export Credits and Environmental and Social Sustainability. The submission speaks among other things to the roles of national human rights institutions and the ICC in relation to business and human rights, and provides specific recommendations for improving human rights protection under the OECD Common Approaches.
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expand Title : OECD Council Draft Revised Recommendation on Officially Supported Export Credits and Environmental and Social Sustainability: ‎(3)
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