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The ‘UN Human Rights Norm for Business’

No business can be said to be fully engaging with issues of corporate social responsibility without addressing human rights, and risk management increasingly requires that human rights be taken into consideration. However, as there is currently no binding international framework of human rights applicable to companies, businesses must rely on a range of voluntary initiatives for guidance.

The 'UN Human Rights Norms for Business' is an introduction to one such guidance document: the UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights. These UN Norms have generated considerable discussion since their approval in August 2003 by the UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights. In the view of the authors, the UN Norms distil into a single document many of the international treaties and best practice norms that responsible companies should take into account when setting up an internal human rights framework.

The 'UN Human Rights Norms for Business' is a clear, concise and informative discussion of the issues raised by the UN Norms, and includes:

• an explanation of the background to the UN Norms and a summary of the contents of the UN Norms;
• a summary of the implications of the UN Norms;
• a summary of some of the ongoing debates on the UN Norms, including their legal status;
• an introduction to the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights, a programme in which nine companies have committed themselves to testing the practical use of the UN Norms;
• recommendations - including a presentation of a 'human rights management matrix' for companies; and
• a comparison of the UN Global Compact and the UN Norms.

Human rights case studies from around the world

Increasingly, companies are expected by their shareholders and the public to take human rights seriously, in their own operations and throughout their supply chain. Human rights case studies from around the world raises awareness of the range of issues covered by 'human rights', by providing examples of instances in which companies suffered damage to their reputation through failure to plan for and react to human rights realities.

In a brief introduction, Human rights case studies from around the world explains the international framework of human rights, and the reasons for companies to address human rights - both in terms of ethics and in terms of the potential for damage to company reputation.

The document then presents a series of 23 case studies - examples of situations in which businesses have been accused of association with violations of human rights. The case studies are drawn from around the world (Europe, Africa, Asia and South America) and from a range of different industries.

Each case study deals with:

• the issue and incidents behind the alleged violation;
• the response of the company or companies involved;
• the general lessons that can be drawn by businesses; and
• a list of further resources, should the reader wish to read more about a particular example.

Human rights case studies from around the world ends with a list of further examples of association with human rights violations, and also provides a list of international standards, declarations and treaties that are relevant to human rights.

Child rights

January 2004

All children have rights, including the rights to education, to childhood and to protection from harm. The private sector can greatly assist - or greatly limit - the extent to which children's rights can be realised, as many rights cannot be pursued without addressing the broader socio-economic context. This is particularly true of rights violations that are linked to poverty, such as the use of child labour.

Child rights begins with a brief review of some of the issues surrounding the link between the private sector and human rights - and in particular the link with child rights. A series of six case studies are then provided, which demonstrate a number of incidents in which the 'best interests' of the child have not been prioritised. The case studies show that companies can be involved in a range of rights violations, in many parts of the world.

Each case study deals with:

• the issue and incidents behind the alleged violation;
• the response of the company or companies involved;
• the lessons that can be drawn by the private sector from the example; and
• a list of further resources, should the reader wish to follow up on a particular case.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most important international treaty on children's rights - Child rights includes an article-by-article précis of this Convention. Finally, a list of further reading on the private sector and human/children's rights is provided.

Site Last Updated 12 August, 2008 5:05 PM