UN-BHR

Papers Consider History, Future Trends of BHR Agenda

July 31, 2015

A paper from Professor Michael Santoro of Rutgers Business School considers the historical foundations of the business and human rights ("BHR") agenda - and the shift of focus by human rights activists from states to private actors - and introduces several studies of the future trends of the BHR agenda and a possible binding BHR treaty.
EU Outlines Next Steps on BHR Agenda

July 30, 2015

In a document reviewing the EU's progress in implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ("BHR"), European Commission staff call for greater steps, both at the EU and the national level, to improve access to remedy for alleged BHR violations and other measures to advance the BHR agenda.
Lawyers Outline Proposal for Binding BHR Arbitration

July 29, 2015

A proposal from two attorneys on the website of the Institute for Human Rights and Business calls for the establishment of an international tribunal that would arbitrate alleged corporate violations of the UN business and human rights ("BHR") agenda and whose awards would be enforceable around the world.
Bloomer: NGOs Must Push for Successful BHR Treaty

July 29, 2015

Phil Bloomer of the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre has published an account of the first session of the working group charged with developing a binding treaty on business and human rights ("BHR") calling for nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") to unite to advance the treaty effort.
Ruggie Considers "Next Steps" in BHR Development

July 29, 2015

In a recent paper, Harvard University Professor John Ruggie, developer of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ("BHR"), suggests various future targets of the BHR agenda, including investor-state dispute mechanisms in international trade treaties and a binding treaty dealing with "gross" human rights violations.
Paper Lists Arms Treaty Lessons for BHR Treaty Proponents

July 29, 2015

Marilyn Croser of the CORE Coalition writes that proponents of a binding treaty on business and human rights ("BHR") issues should follow the example of the UN Arms Trade Treaty, adopted in 2014, by pushing an "ambitious yet achievable" document that would be acceptable to countries that are home to a substantial number of transnational corporations.
FIFA Implements BHR Standards in Bidding Process

July 29, 2015

In response to charges of widespread corruption, the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Association Football ("FIFA") has announced a series of reforms, including a mandate that contractual World Cup partners and businesses in their supply chains comply with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ("BHR").
Campaign Seeks World Court to Enforce BHR Treaty

July 29, 2015

A submission from the Global Campaign to Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity to a UN working group developing a treaty on business and human rights ("BHR") issues calls for a wide-ranging treaty that would provide for corporate and executive criminal liability and establish a World Court on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights to rule on alleged violations.
Activists Seek Global Monitoring of Development Partnerships

July 29, 2015

A document from a group of nongovernmental organizations calls for the integration of international business and human rights standards in the UN's post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals and pushes countries to grant authority to a global body to monitor partnerships made with businesses to advance the UN's development agenda.
WWF Assesses BRICS Incorporation of Sustainability Agenda

July 29, 2015

The nongovernmental organization WWF has published a report finding uneven progress among governments in the BRICS group of countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - in regulating financial markets in order to push investor consideration of the "sustainable development" agenda advocated by the UN and environmental and human rights activists.