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Our work on Business and Human Rights

The Commission is active in sharing its views and promoting best practice for business and human rights issues - below are some of the activities we are engaged with.

Evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights

In 2009 the Commission provided written and oral evidence to the UK Parliament Joint Committee on Human Rights Inquiry on Business and Human Rights setting out our views on our role in relation to the “Protect, Respect, Remedy” framework - read our evidence in PDF format. You can read the report of the Joint Committee Inquiry (in two volumes) here in PDF format - Volume One and Volume Two.

International Coordinating Committee Working Group

The International Co-ordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (known as the ICC) established a business and human rights working group in March 2009. This group is a task force of eight national human rights institutions (NHRIs) from around the world established to help NHRIs engage and inform business groups on human rights issues.

Currently the Scottish Human Rights Commission and the Danish Institute for Human Rights are the two representatives of the European region of NHRIs. The work of the group focuses on:

  • strategic planning (to help facilitate the inclusion of business and human rights issues in the work of NHRIs and encourage joint NHRI programs)

  • capacity building and resource sharing (to support the skills development of NHRI staff and provide a platform for NHRIs to exchange best practices and tools)

  • agenda setting and outreach (to promote the participation of the ICC and NHRIs in key debates at the international, regional and domestic levels in relation to business and human rights).

A few of the current activities of this group include:

  • conducting a baseline survey to establish NHRIS interest, mandates and capacity to work on business and human rights issues

  • working towards establishing a web platform as a resource for NHRIS

  • compiling examples of best practice and a business and human rights training kit for NHRIs

  • supporting a Regional Seminars Programme on business and human rights to review violations, identify regional priorities and co-ordinate views.

Consultation submission to consultation on the Guiding Principles

In 2005, UN Secretary-General appointed Professor John Ruggie as Special Representative on Business and Human Rights. On 22 November 2010 Ruggie, published a set of draft Guiding Principles for the implementation of the UN “Protect, Respect and Remedy” framework on business and human rights as set out in his previous report to the Human Right Council in June 2008. The Commission welcomes the approach of the Special Representative in fostering a consensus and common understanding around which the actions of all actors can converge in the area of business and human rights. The Guiding Principles are to be commended and must be seen as a foundation from which we can build. The Commission looks forward to further debate and a dynamic advancement of the principles in practice and makes the following comments in a submission to the consultation on the Guiding Principles - read the submission in Word format. You can find out more about the consultation and the work of the Special Representative here.

EC Procurement reform

In April 2011 the European Group of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (EU based) responded to a consultation on the European Commission’s Green Paper on the modernisation of EU public procurement policy, 'Towards a more efficient European Procurement Market.' The European Group consists of 34 National Human Rights Institutions, including those within the EU, 23 of which are fully accredited under the UN Paris Principles. The group believes that EU public procurement policy and practice must be aligned with both the regional and international human rights obligations of member states. You can read the consultation response in Word format.

Equality and Human Rights Commission Working Group

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is facilitating a Working Group on business and human rights with the aims of giving support to practical actions which encourage businesses to integrate human rights into their business practices, and to provide a forum for information exchange between the Government, private sector and civil society on specific issues related to business and human rights. We support the work of this group and hope the Scottish Human Rights Commission can assist in sharing the learning and best practice from the group and from Scotland.

Business Schools and Social Accounting

On 7 October 2010, as a parallel event to the ICC Biennial Conference the Commission co-hosted a half-day seminar bringing together academic and professional communities to explore how to integrate human rights into business school curricula and professional education. You can read a report of this event here. Prior to this event the Commission has contributed to seminars at the University of Glasgow’s social accounting department. In September 2009 Kavita Chetty, legal officer for the Commission, delivered remarks to the Accountability and Human Rights, one-day Symposium, Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research School of Management at the University of St Andrews.

Public Statements on Business and Human Rights

On 10 November 2009 Professor Alan Miller, Chair of the Commission, delivered the following remarks - “Protect, Respect, Remedy - Access to Remedy" in Stockholm as part of a conference on Corporate Social Responsibility. Read the remarks at this link.

On 6 October 2009 the Chair gave a presentation on "Operationalising human rights in the private sector – what roles, priorities and strategies for NHRIs?” at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Consultation on Business and Human Rights in Geneva. Read the presentation at this link.