BHR

Groups Launch Ranking of BHR Performance

December 17, 2014

A group of nongovernmental organizations and businesses have announced the launch of a Corporate Human Rights Benchmark, which will investigate and rank the performance of 500 companies on implementing UN business and human rights ("BHR") standards.
Nestle CEO Expresses Commitment to BHR Agenda

December 17, 2014

During a recent UN forum, Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of Nestle Paul Bulcke demonstrated pressure on businesses to adopt the UN's business and human rights ("BHR") agenda, calling for other businesses to follow the lead of Nestle in performing "impact assessments" and implementing other BHR measures.
NGOs Criticize Banks for Failure to Implement BHR

December 17, 2014

The nongovernmental organization ("NGO") network BankTrack has called on banks around the world to implement international business and human rights ("BHR") standards in their operations and to provide "grievance mechanisms" for those who allege violations of these standards.
Article Calls for Expanded Government Participation in BHR Agenda

December 10, 2014

Following the third annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights ("BHR") in Geneva, an article in The Guardian expresses concern that some governments are "outsourcing" the responsibility to protect human rights to global corporations.
Canadian Courts Consider Tort Claims in International BHR Cases

December 10, 2014

Attorneys H. Scott Fairley and Anastasija Sumakova write that Canadian civil courts are increasingly considering common law claims against corporations for alleged violations of business and human rights ("BHR") principles in other countries, based on a "duty of care" related to international norms.
UN Working Group Seeks to Institutionalize BHR Action Plans

December 03, 2014

The UN Working Group on business and human rights ("BHR") issues has released a guidance document that calls for countries around the world to follow a multi-step process in creating "national action plans" to advance the UN's BHR agenda.
Conference Considers Supranational BHR Solutions in EU

December 03, 2014

At a recent conference at the European Parliament, politicians, activists, and others argued that in order to provide effective access to courts in Europe for alleged business and human rights ("BHR") violations in other countries, the EU should consider advancing expansive BHR measures at the supranational level.
Speaker at UN Forum Praises Expansive BHR Agenda

December 03, 2014

At the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights ("BHR"), Sharan Burrow of the International Trade Union Confederation called for broad recognition of the human right to join or form a trade union and for access to remedies when businesses fail to comply with the UN's BHR agenda.
UN Releases Guidance for Businesses on Children's Rights

December 03, 2014

The UN Children's Fund ("UNICEF") has published guidance to businesses around the world in using UNICEF's Children's Rights and Business Principles to advance and protect the "civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights" of children, including in companies' supply chains.
UN Agent Seeks Advancement of Binding BHR Treaty

December 03, 2014

In recent remarks, Member of the UN Working Group on business and human rights ("BHR") issues Dr. Puvan Selvanathan argued that only a legally binding, UN-administered treaty could demonstrate a global commitment to preventing and remedying alleged corporate human rights violations.