How can human rights advocates encourage companies to commit to ensuring that commercial actors respect human rights? This is the question that a new publication launched this week attempts to answer.
The Toolkit for Human Rights Defenders to Promote Corporate Respect for Human Rights(also available in French and Spanish) is published by ISHR with the generous support of Allens Linklaters and DLA Piper, internationally renowned law firms.
This publication provides: advocates
- an overview oflegislative frameworks,policies, and new standards issued by governments or companies regarding the protection of human rights in the context of business activities;
- a range of tools usefulfor any strategy aimed at engaging relevant stakeholders at each stage of a project's development in different sectors of activity;
to businesses
- ideas for actions they should take to better respect and collaborate with defenders, as well as the benefits to be gained from such actions;
to businesses and advocates
- Practical examples for better collaboration on human rights compliance by companies.
A wave of attacks
Michael Ineichen (ISHR) points out that this catalog was developed in the midst of a wave of attacks targeting advocates who call for corporate accountability, whether in relation to labor rights, land rights, indigenous peoples' rights, or other issues.
"The risks faced by defenders working on issues of corporate respect for human rights and corporate accountability for violations are enormous, ranging from damage to their reputation to attacks on their own lives," he says.
"However, there are also risks for companies linked to human rights violations, just as there are many advantages for a company when it adopts a positive approach to protecting rights."
"Our goal is for this catalog to provide advocates with tools to help them decide whether to propose a positive exchange with companies and, if so, when and how that exchange should take place. We also hope that it will help to foster greater respect for the role of defenders in preventing and reducing human rights abuses linked to business operations, as well as for the role they play in seeking to hold those responsible for such abuses to account."
The role of businesses in protecting human rights
Unfortunately, "too many companies remain silent when human rights are at stake in repressive states—or even behave as staunch opponents of those human rights,"laments Mauricio Lazala of the Resource Center on Business and Human Rights. On the other hand, "many companies are now demonstrating that taking a stand against human rights violations is the right thing to do, both from a moral standpoint and from the perspective of their own interests."
"The voice of businesses can carry enormous weight when it comes to protecting vulnerable people in repressive countries, particularly when abuses are committed in connection with their sector of activity or in areas where they are the main investors."
Collaboration between businesses and human rights defenders
Owen Larter of Microsoft and Nicolas Patrick of DLA Piperemphasized that non-governmental organizations working in high-risk environments could benefit from support networks within the commercial sector, particularly large multinational corporations that have made a public commitment to human rights.
"Invisible networks of influential friends and support from the business community prove invaluable when things go wrong. We encourage human rights defenders to establish partnerships and collaborate constructively with the business sector, as well as to encourage partnerships and collaborations."
“That is precisely the purpose of this catalog,” adds Philip Lynch, Director of ISHR. “Aimed at advocates, it has been written from the perspective of and with input from companies, and is full of examples of good practices from companies around the world. We hope it will help improve understanding, trust, and relations between companies and human rights defenders."
Both corporations and human rights advocates have a shared interest in operating in a functional environment that respects the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly, and is characterized by transparent, accountable government, freedom from corruption, and respect for the rule of law.
"Our goal is to encourage and develop the capacities of human rights defenders so that they can offer positive and constructive collaboration to companies, recognizing the essential contribution that a responsible company can make to the promotion and protection of human rights and sustainable development."
Below is the complete catalog.
