BHR

Academics Seek Global BHR Enforcement Mechanism

March 20, 2017

Dr. Kamil Ometoso of Coventry University and Dr. Hakeem Yusuf of the University of Birmingham assert that the shortcomings of national enforcement of laws governing business conduct signal the need for a global mechanism to hold transnational corporations accountable for their failure to implement the business and human rights (BHR) agenda.
BHR Activists Question Business Collaboration on Agenda

March 20, 2017

An article by former human rights consultant Michael Hobbes profiling the most recent UN Forum on Business and Human Rights (BHR) illustrates the growing disillusionment of some environmental and human rights activists with a strategy of collaboration with multinational corporations on implementing the BHR agenda.
Companies Face BHR Complexities in Climate Adaptation

March 17, 2017

An article on the website Raconteur highlights the complexities involved in the corporate adoption of the global climate change agenda, as business and human rights (BHR) activists increasingly scrutinize corporate environmental efforts for human rights impacts on communities and call for stakeholder consultation and transparency to prevent BHR violations.
Activist Seeks EU Involvement in BHR Treaty

March 17, 2017

An op-ed by Anne Van Schaik of Friends of the Earth Europe signals the dissatisfaction of human rights and environmental activists with the progress of "voluntary" business and human rights (BHR) measures, such as the UN Guiding Principles on BHR, and calls for EU participation in the establishment of a binding UN BHR treaty to "bring corporate actors to justice."
Lawyer Pushes BHR Due Diligence in New Zealand

March 17, 2017

Human rights lawyer Rebecca McAllum has called on businesses in New Zealand to adopt provisions of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR) relating to performing comprehensive "due diligence" assessments of their BHR impacts to manage reputational and legal risks and to fulfill a "precondition" to entering many global markets.
NGO Benchmarks Companies on BHR Issues

March 15, 2017

The Corporate Human Rights Benchmark has released its first report rating efforts by individual companies in the agricultural, apparel, and extractives sectors to implement the global business and human rights (BHR) agenda and calling for these businesses to do more to advance BHR due diligence, transparency, and responses to allegations.
UN Discussion Focuses on State BHR Obligations

March 15, 2017

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recently held a wide-ranging discussion on a draft comment on the obligations of governments to regulate business activities under international human rights law, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR).
IOC Commits to UNGPs, Sustainability Agenda

March 15, 2017

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), under pressure from human rights and environmental activists, has agreed to include in its contract with the host cities of future Olympic Games a provision requiring the respect of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the UN's "sustainable development" agenda.
Ruggie Criticizes EU Progress on UNGPs

March 15, 2017

Harvard Professor and creator of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) John Ruggie has published a letter to the European Commission expressing concern at the EU's failure to produce an action plan on the implementation of the UNGPs and perceived shortcomings in the bloc's nonfinancial reporting framework.
Businesses Face Pressure to Promote Rights Agenda

March 14, 2017

An article in The Washington Post explores the impacts of social media platforms and other factors in increasing public pressure on business leaders to take a position on issues involving "human rights," particularly when activists perceive businesses as having a stake in these rights.