G7 leaders’ commitment to human rights in supply chains
must be followed by action – UN expert group
GENEVA (12 June 2015) – The United Nations Working Group
on business and human rights welcomes the commitment made by G7 leaders this
week in Germany to promote labour rights, decent working conditions and
environmental protection in global supply chains.
The declaration from the G7 leaders’ summit highlighted
unsafe and poor working conditions among the top challenges facing the world
economy. It expressed strong support to the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business
and Human Rights* as a way to overcome challenges.
“We welcome this unprecedented show of commitment from
the highest level in some of the world’s major economies to improve business
conduct in supply chains,” said human rights expert Michael Addo, who currently
heads the expert group. “Now, this commitment must be translated into concrete
action to ensure transparency and accountability.”
The Working Group is urging all states and business
groups and companies across the world to put into practice the Guiding
Principles strongly supported by the G7 leaders, as the globally agreed
standard for addressing human rights challenges in business activities.
Adopted
by the UN’s member states in 2011, this standard consists of three ‘pillars’,
which all governments and companies are expected to implement.
Under the ‘State Duty to Protect,’ the Guiding Principles
recommend how governments should provide greater clarity of expectations and
consistency of rule for business in relation to human rights.
The ‘Corporate
Responsibility to Respect’ principles provide a blueprint for companies on how
to know and show that they are respecting human rights.
The ‘Access to Remedy’
principles focus on ensuring that where people are harmed by business
activities, there is both adequate accountability and effective redress,
judicial and non-judicial.
“We are pleased that G7 leaders also express support for
the development of effective national action plans to implement the UN Guiding
Principles,” Mr. Addo noted. “Both Governments and companies must take action
to avoid negative impacts on human rights in global supply chains.”
Access to remedy for victims of business-related human
rights harm is a core aspect of the UN framework, and the experts also welcomed
the explicit commitment by G7 leaders to strengthen mechanisms for providing
access to remedies and lead by example in this area.
“It is encouraging that the G7 nations are committed to
putting this issue also on the agenda of the G20. It is critical that all major
economies in the world get behind this movement,” Mr. Addo said. “G7 leaders
must now ensure words are followed by meaningful action, to the benefit of
workers and communities affected by business operations around the world.”
(*) The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human
Rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/Tools.aspx
ENDS
The Working Group on human rights and transnational
corporations and other business enterprises was established by the UN Human
Rights Council in June 2011. Its five members are: Mr. Michael Addo (current
Chairperson-Rapporteur), Ms. Margaret Jungk (Vice Chair), Mr. Pavel
Sulyandziga, Mr. Dante Pesce and Mr. Puvan Selvanathan. It reports to the Human
Rights Council and to the UN General Assembly.
For more information visit:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/WGHRandtransnationalcorporationsandotherbusiness.aspx
The Working Groups are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that
address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of
the world.
Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not
UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from
any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
For additional information and media requests, please
contact Ulrik Halsteen: +41 22 917 9323 / wg-business@ohchr.org
For media inquiries related to other UN independent
experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917
9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)
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