Business & Human Rights

Lawyers Weigh in on Imposing Corporate "Climate Liability"

November 30, 2017

An article on Vice explores the potential of state laws introducing "climate liability" to force energy companies to pay for damage caused by storms allegedly linked to climate change and laments that "suing the living daylights out of Big Oil remains maddeningly difficult."
Chile Releases BHR Action Plan

November 30, 2017

The government of Chile has published a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (BHR) that explains how the government will require the private sector to implement the UN Guiding Principles on BHR and contribute to the fulfillment of the social and environmental targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Dutch Bank Adopts BHR Impact Assessments

November 30, 2017

Dutch development bank FMO has announced that, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR), it will perform "human rights impact assessments" to determine whether its investment projects threaten to violate the global BHR agenda and report on its human rights performance in its activities.
Group Files OECD Complaint over Steel Union Treatment

November 30, 2017

Global industrial union group IndustriALL has filed a complaint with the OECD National Contact Point in Luxembourg over the alleged failure by a multinational steel producer to negotiate with one of IndustriALL's member unions and the producer's warning that it would fire employees who failed an alcohol and drug policy.
UN Group Releases Proposed Elements of BHR Treaty

November 30, 2017

The Chairmanship of the UN Working Group charged with negotiating the development of a binding UN treaty on business and human rights (BHR) has published a broad set of proposed elements of such a BHR treaty that places international obligations on signatories to enforce the BHR agenda and provide access to remedies.