UN-BHR

NGO Seeks Broad Application of Binding BHR Treaty

May 07, 2018

The German Institute for Human Rights has issued a position paper calling for the adoption of a binding UN treaty on business and human rights (BHR) issues that applies to all corporations, requires corporate "due diligence" to review and redress BHR impacts, and provides for the involvement by national human rights institutions in overseeing compliance with the treaty.
NGOs Seek EU Government Support for BHR Treaty

April 20, 2018

Representatives of two nongovernmental organizations call on European governments to support the process of the UN Working Group on the development of a UN treaty on business and human rights (BHR) in forming a legally binding instrument requiring governments to ensure companies perform BHR due diligence and provide access to justice for alleged BHR violations.
UK Lawyer Calls for BHR Due Diligence Rules

March 30, 2018

British barrister Alison Macdonald QC recently published a blog calling for UK laws requiring British companies to establish mechanisms aimed at preventing major violations of the business and human rights (BHR) agenda in their global supply chains, in line with "due diligence" requirements under the UN Guiding Principles on BHR.
UN Rights Chief Pushes Papua New Guinea on BHR Agenda

March 30, 2018

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the government of Papua New Guinea to prevent, investigate, and punish human rights abuses, especially those in violation of the global business and human rights (BHR) agenda, and pushed for the creation of an independent national human rights body to enforce rights protections.
Ruggie Pushes for Swiss "Due Diligence" Rules

March 28, 2018

Identifying laws requiring corporations to perform "due diligence" on the human rights impacts of their operations and supply chains as the "new normal" in Europe and North America, Professor John Ruggie of Harvard University recently wrote in favor of an initiative seeking to impose due-diligence requirements on Swiss companies.
NGO Announces Updates to BHR Benchmarking Method

March 28, 2018

The nongovernmental organization Corporate Human Rights Benchmark has announced updates to its methodology for the 2018 version of its global review of the compliance of companies from the agriculture, apparel, and extractives industries with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR) and other global BHR initiatives.
Dutch Report Reviews Progress on BHR Initiatives in Europe

March 27, 2018

The Dutch government recently commissioned a study examining the extent to which the EU institutions and five European governments have worked toward implementing business and human rights (BHR) initiatives in line with the UN Guiding Principles on BHR, noting progress in areas such as BHR due diligence and corporate reporting requirements.
NGO Offers up Data on Corporate Human Rights Impacts

March 23, 2018

Alex Guy of the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) has published an article encouraging nongovernmental organizations and others to use BHRRC's wide-ranging data on corporate human rights and environmental impacts to pressure companies to implement the global business and human rights agenda.
Consultancy Publishes BHR Guidelines for Law Societies

March 09, 2018

Spanish consultancy Sustentia Social Innovation has published guidelines for European law societies on how they and their attorney members should advocate a broad array of legal and other measures to contribute to the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR).
NGO Projects Aim for Gender Focus in BHR Measures

March 09, 2018

The Danish Institute for Human Rights has launched two projects pushing governments to "strengthen their gender focus" in their implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR) by "mapping" BHR issues that specifically affect women and exploring how to strengthen women's engagement with the extractives industry.