Business & Human Rights

Unilever Pushes Activist Agenda on Climate Change

May 08, 2015

The Chief Executive Officer of Unilever Paul Polman writes in The Guardian that his company has adopted the UN's agenda on sustainability and climate change, in part by forming a new organization of businesses, governments, and activist groups called Tropical Forest Alliance 2020.
Institutions Push for Ambitious EU CSR Strategy

May 07, 2015

The European Network of National Human Rights Institutions has published a document in which it pushes for the EU to adopt broad portions of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ("BHR") and other global BHR mechanisms in its upcoming policy on corporate social responsibility ("CSR").
Academics Push for More Effective NCP System

May 07, 2015

Professors John Ruggie and Tamaryn Nelson of Harvard University have called on countries to make their national contact points ("NCP") for implementing the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises more effective by penalizing companies that decline to engage in the NCP process.
UN Agent: Secret TTIP Investment Tribunal Violates Rights

May 06, 2015

The Guardian reports that UN Independent Expert Alfred de Zayas has called for negotiations of a U.S.-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership ("TTIP") to be suspended due to concern that inclusion of a "secret" tribunal for resolving disputes between corporations and governments violates human rights.
UN Group Outlines Binding Security Contractor Treaty

May 06, 2015

The UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries has published a concept note that explores a possible binding international treaty regulating private military and security companies.