UN-BHR

Activist: Capitalism Is Root of Human Rights Violations

December 31, 2014

Amit Singh writes that instead of voluntary principles or a binding treaty aimed at addressing alleged corporate human rights abuses, the world must solve the problem of "unabashed" capitalism, which is "not compatible with human rights."
Microsoft Celebrates UN's BHR Agenda

December 31, 2014

Microsoft has announced that for the occasion of the 2014 Human Rights Day, it organized a roundtable discussion in Warsaw, Poland to demonstrate its commitment to implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ("BHR").
IBA Seeks Comments on Draft BHR Guidance

December 31, 2014

The International Bar Association ("IBA") has announced that it is seeking comments on its guidance to attorneys around the world to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ("BHR") in their legal advice to corporations.
U.K. Announces Support for BHR Rating Mechanism

December 24, 2014

The British Government has announced that it will provide financial support to a nonprofit and business initiative, the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark, that ranks companies on their compliance with the UN's business and human rights ("BHR") agenda.
U.S. Holds Public Consultation on Adoption of NAP

December 24, 2014

The U.S. Government has held the first public consultation on its adoption of a national action plan ("NAP") on the UN's business and human rights agenda at the New York University Stern School of Business.
Activist Pushes for Coercive BHR System

December 24, 2014

Business and human rights ("BHR") activist Joanne Bauer argues that the doctrine of corporate social responsibility, in which businesses judge for themselves their level of compliance with human rights and environmental principles, is insufficient in coercing businesses to abide by the international BHR agenda.
Ruggie Highlights "Hard Law" Use of BHR Principles

December 17, 2014

Warning of the challenges involved in producing a binding treaty on business and human rights ("BHR"), developer of the UN Guiding Principles on BHR John Ruggie has outlined the ways in which countries are translating these Principles into policy and legal professionals are advising on their implementation.
UN Releases "Toolkit" on Human Rights and Finance

December 17, 2014

The UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative has published guidance pressuring institutions in the finance sector to abide by the UN's business and human rights agenda in their transactions.
Citing Slow Progress of UNGPs, NGO Calls for Binding Treaty

December 17, 2014

Citing the "sparse" implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ("UNGPs"), the nongovernmental organization ("NGO") IBON International has called for activists to focus on the development of a binding global treaty to prevent and remedy human rights violations by businesses.
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.