Business & Human Rights

Academics Release Guide to Foreign Lawsuits in EU

September 15, 2016

A group of academics has published a handbook for nongovernmental organizations and human rights lawyers describing how they can sue European businesses in courts within the EU for human rights violations they have allegedly committed in foreign jurisdictions.
OECD Official Seeks Construction Industry Pledges

September 15, 2016

An article from Roel Nieuwenkamp, Chair of the OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct, describes past work among OECD national contact points to hold construction companies to account for alleged human rights violations and calls on governments to pressure such companies to participate in "global corporate responsibility efforts."
Rights Activists Intervene in Irish Tax Debate

September 15, 2016

Dr. Shane Darcy of the National University of Ireland Galway describes the interventions of nongovernmental organizations calling for the Irish Parliament to include in its discussions of tech giant Apple's tax payments the responsibility of businesses to pay taxes to help fulfill economic, social, and cultural rights in the country.
Attorney Highlights Globalization of Labor Disputes

September 15, 2016

Attorney Joe Turzi of DLA Piper LLP reflects on the growing trend of labor activists circumventing the domestic labor dispute resolution process by taking their claims to authorities, such as the US State Department, that apply global principles on labor rights from such entities as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to local employment conflicts.
NGOs Seek Focus on Rights in UN Climate Efforts

September 15, 2016

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre and the Center for International Environmental Law have submitted a proposal to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change calling on the agency to include fulfillment of the global business and human rights agenda in implementing the UN deal on climate change reached in Paris last December.