Business, Human Rights and the United Nations

In July 2005 the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Professor John Ruggie as his Special Representative (SRSG) on Business and Human Rights. In 2008, Ruggie proposed a

policy framework for better managing business and human rights challenges. It is based on three complementary and interdependent pillars:

• the state duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including business

• the corporate responsibility to respect human rights

• the need for greater access by victims to effective remedy, judicial and non-judicial.

You can read the the "Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework" here. You can read more about Professor Ruggie here.

The Framework has already enjoyed considerable uptake by states, companies and civil society. The mandates of national human rights institutions, including the Scottish Human Rights Commission span these three principles. The Human Rights Council was unanimous in welcoming the framework, and extended Ruggie’s mandate by three years with the task of operationalising these principles (read more about the mandate of the Special Representative in this document).

In November 2010 Ruggie proposed draft "Guiding Principles for the Implementation of the United Nations 'Protect, Respect and Remedy' Framework". You can read the Guiding Principles here. The Guiding Principles elaborate and clarify for companies, states, and other stakeholders how they can operationalise the framework, by taking practical steps to address the impact of business impact on the human rights of individuals. The final text of these Guiding Principles was endorsed by the Human Rights Council in June 2011, after consultation.  You can read the Commission response to the consultation here.

In 2012 the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights began a new consultation asking the international community whether a new Working Group on business and human rights should be established - you can find out more about OHCHR and Business here.

2010 ICC Biennial and the Edinburgh Declaration

Because of the importance of the business and human rights agenda this was chosen as the theme of the International Coordinating Committee Biennial conference of National Human Rights Institutions which will took place in Edinburgh from 8 - 10 October 2010.

Delegates from over 80 countries including national human rights institutions (NHRIs), international and regional experts, United Nations officials, government representatives, civil society and business organisations discussed and debated human rights issues on the theme of business and human rights, and the role national institutions can play in improving human rights in a globalised world.

 At the close of the conference the Edinburgh Declaration was adopted. The Declaration calls for action on corporate abuse of human rights to be stepped up.  It also calls for more national and international monitoring of businesses’ compliance with human rights law, that advice should be given to companies, governments, campaigners and individuals about corporate responsibility, and that national human rights institutions themselves have an important role to play in supporting companies and victims of potential human rights violations. To read more about the ICC Biennial conference, including video clips and transcripts of the event click here.