Transcript Slide 1
European Commission policy and actions on human rights and business
Berlin, February 20, 2013
A modern understanding of corporate social responsibility
New definition: "The responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society" Positive and negative impacts All enterprises have impacts, all have a social responsibility
Internationally recognised CSR guidelines and principles
The core five: OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises UN Global Compact ISO 26000 Guidance standard on social responsibility ILO Tri-partite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
What's different about the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights?
• Adverse impacts only • (New) terms and concepts: adverse impacts, due diligence, leverage, remedy, etc.
• Global and government endorsed • Enterprises and states • An expected standard of conduct for all
Sector-specific guidance
Three sectors: employment and recruitment agencies, ICT/telecommunications, oil and gas Output: non-legally binding guidance that is practically useful to companies Geographical scope: take account of EU specificities, but make as globally relevant as possible Timeline: final guidance end April/early May 2013 Shift, and Institute for Human Rights and Business
SMEs and human rights
Outputs: introductory guide, case studies, video English version published December 2012; other language versions soon Geographical scope: European small and medium-sized enterprises Global CSR and Bernard Brunhes International
National Action Plans and report on EU priorities
EU report to be written from perspective of pillar one (state duty to protect) and pillar three (access to remedy) Within pillars 1 and 3, need to consider all principles The relevance of principle 10 for EU Member States: membership of multilateral institutions Global leadership, expectation and responsibility
Some final comments
Huge challenge for enterprises and states: we’re only at the start Cooperation and dialogue critical