UN-BHR

NGO Seeks Global Enforcement of BHR Treaty

February 28, 2017

The International Centre for Trade Union Rights has published an article containing provisions it considers "essential" for the success of the UN's planned binding treaty on business and human rights (BHR) issues, such as the inclusion of international labor standards, due diligence requirements for companies, and the creation of an international BHR tribunal.
Ruggie Calls for "Socially Sustainable" Supply Chains

February 22, 2017

At the recent G20 group of countries' meeting in Hamburg, Harvard Professor John Ruggie called on attendees to use his UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) as a "roadmap" toward building "socially sustainable" global supply chains and advancing the UN's "sustainable development" agenda.
Lawyers Outline Global Efforts Toward BHR Remedies

February 21, 2017

Attorneys of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP review efforts by international organizations and activists to sidestep traditional judicial mechanisms in seeking remedies for alleged corporate violations of the business and human rights (BHR) agenda, including by establishing a global tribunal to decide BHR disputes.
NGO Explores BHR Risks in Telecom Exports

February 21, 2017

The nongovernmental organization Institute for Human Rights and Business has produced a report evaluating the potential risks to the business and human rights (BHR) agenda posed by export credit agencies encouraging the foreign sale of telecommunications products and calls for BHR due diligence requirements for such transactions.
UN Group Reviews Cooperation on BHR Enforcement

February 17, 2017

The UN Working Group for business and human rights (BHR) issues has issued a survey to countries around the world on instances of cross-border law enforcement cooperation in their implementation of the global BHR agenda, as part of the Working Group's development of international recommendations on effectively combating corporate BHR violations.
NGOs Push BHR Agenda for "Mega-Sporting Events"

February 14, 2017

A coalition of nongovernmental organizations has published 11 white papers providing a comprehensive analysis of business and human rights (BHR) issues that may arise in relation to "mega-sporting events" and calling for "an independent centre of expertise" on the impacts of such events on human rights.
UN Group Seeks Universal BHR Recognition

February 03, 2017

In a recent interview, Dante Pesce, a member of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (BHR), highlighted the Working Group's prioritization of comprehensive recognition of BHR principles throughout business supply chains and its push for investor pressure on companies to promote the BHR agenda.
NGO Calls for "Ethical Trade" to Support SDGs

January 23, 2017

The nongovernmental organization Ethical Trading Initiative has published a report highlighting how it is integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the global business and human rights agenda with its "ethical trade" initiatives to push for comprehensive business action supporting the UN's social and environmental goals.
NGOs Criticize "Voluntary" Measures in BHR Action Plans

January 19, 2017

A press release from the European Coalition for Corporate Justice on the Swiss, Italian, German, and US "national action plans" on implementing the global business and human rights (BHR) agenda laments that none of the plans relies on binding measures or provides for sufficient access to judicial remedy by alleged victims of BHR violations.
NGOs Explore Promotion of US BHR Action Plan

January 18, 2017

At a recent event at American University in Washington, D.C., a group of nongovernmental organizations considered how they can best promote the provisions of a recently released US National Action Plan on Responsible Business Conduct, in line with the global business and human rights (BHR) agenda, in light of the incoming Trump Administration.