Created in partnership with the Helpdesk on Business & Human Rights
About
Introduction to business and human rights
Under the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” framework, it is the duty of national Governments to protect people within their territory and/or jurisdiction against human rights abuses committed by third parties, including businesses. At the same time, businesses are expected to respect human rights — by not infringing the human rights of others (directly or indirectly). Both States and businesses are also expected to enable access to effective remedy (both judicial and non-judicial) for victims of human rights violations where they do occur.
As the global authoritative standard on business conduct in relation to human rights, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) offer high-level guidance on how businesses can operationalize their obligations under the “Protect, Respect, Remedy” framework[1]. Unanimously endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, the UNGPs set expectations of States and companies about how to prevent and address negative impacts on human rights by business. The dilemma for responsible businesses is how to respect human rights in practice, particularly where they face complex social, political and economic contexts or situations that do not have easy straightforward solutions.
The Business and Human Rights Navigator
The Business & Human Rights Navigator (BHR Navigator) guides companies around the world to better understand and address human rights impacts in their operations and supply chains. The BHR Navigator is informed by and aligned with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact[2] and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).
The aim of the BHR Navigator is to enhance companies’ understanding of how the UNGPs can be understood and implemented in practical terms, with particular reference to some of the most common human rights topics for business. It seeks to help businesses better understand the most common human rights issues that they may come into contact with — either through their own operations or their supply chain — and the integration of the human rights due diligence mechanism to manage risks. Users can access in-depth analysis of key human rights issues, due diligence recommendations, as well as case studies illustrating how other businesses have responsibly addressed human rights impacts. This includes the following due diligence steps outlined in the UNGPs:
- Policy development
- Impact assessment
- Integration/actions to address impacts
- Performance tracking
- Communication of performance
- Remediation and grievance mechanisms
Explore the issues and associated practical examples so that your company is better equipped to manage its direct and indirect human rights risks. Each issue includes:
- An overview of the human rights issue
- Risk factors for key industries
- Due diligence suggestions
- Practical examples
- Additional recommended resources
The BHR Navigator is produced by the United Nations Global Compact in collaboration with the German Government’s Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights and Verisk Maplecroft. It is funded by the German Government’s Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights. Global Compact Network Germany advised the project as a conceptual partner.
The resources were developed in coordination with UN Human Rights (OHCHR). The International Labour Office (ILO) provided technical support on the principles of international labour standards as they concern company operations. The Navigator was further supported by a Global Compact Country Network subgroup consisting of: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Nigeria, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The BHR Navigator builds on work previously carried out on the Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum, which was developed by the UN Global Compact in collaboration with Verisk Maplecroft and funded by the GE Foundation.
Disclaimer
The contents of this website should be taken only as a source of information and analysis. It is not given, and should not be taken, as legal advice and the provider of the information will not be held liable for any direct or consequential loss arising from reliance on the information contained herein.
The case studies do not make any assessment of whether the measures presented meet the requirements of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The aim is rather to demonstrate the feasibility of human rights due diligence management and to offer companies suggestions for their own implementation.
The inclusion of company examples is intended strictly for learning purposes and does not constitute an endorsement of the individual companies. Unless otherwise indicated, the content is not intended to reflect the official positions, views or opinions of the United Nations or the German Government.
About the United Nations Global Compact
As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 companies based in over 160 countries, and more than 60 Global Compact Country Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.
For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.
About the Helpdesk on Business & Human Rights
The Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights is a free support service of the German Federal Government. We advise companies of all sizes individually, confidentially and free of charge on the topic of human rights due diligence. Our experienced advisors serve as a point of contact for initial advice and referrals, and help you to integrate environmental and social standards along your supply and value chain. Our services also include tailor-made training, different event formats, project support and free online tools.
The Helpdesk is situated within the Agency for Business and Economic Development (AWE) and financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The executing agency of the Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights is DEG Impulse gGmbH, a subsidiary of Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG), with support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
For more information, follow “Helpdesk Wirtschaft und Menschenrechte” on LinkedIn and visit our website at www.helpdeskwimr.com.
About Verisk Maplecroft
As organisations strive to understand and adapt to a fast-changing world, Verisk Maplecroft empowers them to put the environment, human rights and political risk at the heart of their decision-making. We do this by providing unparalleled intelligence on sustainability, resilience and ESG – stitching together these disparate issues into an interconnected global view, built upon objective insight and data. By thinking ‘big picture’ we capture what matters most to our partners; making positive outcomes possible in a time of change; helping people, business and societies become stronger; creating value with values. Verisk Maplecroft is a Verisk business (Nasdaq:VRSK).
For more information, follow @MaplecroftRisk on social media and visit our website at maplecroft.com.