Ten Things Executives Need to Know (and Do) About Human Rights

http://logosinstitute.net/blog/ Logos Institute for Crisis Management & Executive Leadership Posted b !nthon E"ing March #$th% &'## Posted in: Corporate (esponsibilit % )uman (ights% Leadership
!n expanded version of this post% *+, )uman (ights -rame"or.: /hat executives need to .no" and do about human rights% Part I and Part II0 appears on the "ebsite of Ethical Corporation 1+23.

Human rights have been a concern for some companies since the anti-Apartheid divestment campaigns of the 1980s, but there has been no broad-based uptake of human rights as a business discipline. Relativel fe! companies have human rights in their corporate vocabular .

This may be the year human rights go mainstream, thanks, largel , to the !ork of "ohn Ruggie, serving for the past si# ears as the $% &ecretar 'eneral(s &pecial Representative on )usiness and Human Rights. Ruggie has forged a !orking consensus among companies, governments and advocates that human rights are not *ust a business concern, but that both governments and companies have human rights responsibilities. +he Ruggie, or $%, ,rame!ork - ./rotect, Respect and Remed 0 - asserts that governments must protect against abuses b companies1 companies must respect human rights1 and victims must have access to remedies. rotect! res"ect and remedy# is a "hrase that many executives wi$$ hear and be as%ed to ex"$ain over the next twe$ve months& +his spring, the $% Human Rights 2ouncil is e#pected to endorse 'uiding /rinciples for both governments and companies to meet their responsibilities under the ,rame!ork. ,or the first time, companies have a clear roadmap for making human rights part of their compliance and corporate responsibilit efforts. 3f ou are, or advise, one of those e#ecutives, there are ten things ou need to kno! 4and do5 about human rights6
Complete the forms of the words below: corporation 4n.5 divestment 4n.5 7777. 4ad*.5 7777. 4v.5 abuse 4n.5 7777. 4v.5 compliance 4n.5 7777. 4v.5 advocate 4n.5 7777. 4v.5 7777. 4n.5 endorse 4v.5 remed 4n.5 7777. 4v.5

'om"rehension (uestions) 1. 8hat(s meant b 9compliance and corporate responsibilit efforts(: ;. 8hat are the three pillars of the ,rame!ork that(s mentioned:

*ind the missing tit$es +or each section +rom the vocabu$ary tas% sheet& ,) 'or"orate human rights res"onsibi$ities go beyond $ega$ com"$iance& Respecting human rights means not violating them, but also means addressing an .adverse human rights impacts0 companies ma cause or to !hich the contribute. 2ompanies can have adverse human rights impact in situations !here no clear legal e#posure e#ists and companies must respect human rights even !hen governments do not. -) ............................&&&&&&&&&&&&&& A compan (s activities and relationships determine the appropriate scope of corporate human rights efforts. 3nternational standards - international human rights and labor conventions provide the list of relevant human rights. A chocolate brand sourcing cocoa from 8est Africa is e#pected to consider forced labor on cocoa farms. 3nternet and telecom providers must pa attention to freedom of e#pression and the right to privac . 2ompanies must consider the human rights issues in the places !here the operate, as !ell as the rights affected b different business functions. /) Ado"t a human rights "o$icy& &tart b referencing international human rights standards. +he form is less important than a clear corporate commitment to respect human rights. +he strongest efforts !ill align all relevant corporate policies, including compensation, procurement and lobb ing practices. 0) ............................&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Assessing our compan (s human rights impacts is the core concept in the .Respect0 pillar of the ,rame!ork. 3f ou haven(t considered ho! our compan touches human rights, this is the ear to start. Assess actual and potential human rights impacts in our compan (s o!n operations1 and the risk of complicit in relationships !ith business partners, suppliers, and others, prioriti<ing areas of heightened risk. Human rights due diligence is a d namic, ongoing activit . Human rights impact assessments !ill become increasingl common. 1) Act on the +indings& 2ompanies need specific procedures to prevent or mitigate potential human rights impacts and to remediate actual harm. 2orporate philanthrop , for e#ample, is not a substitute for meeting human rights responsibilities. 'rievance mechanisms are part of the pu<<le, but companies !ill also need to develop more robust forms of human rights impact management consistent !ith the $% ,rame!ork. 2) ............................&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Ruggie stops short of calling for mandator reporting, but emphasi<es the need for human rights performance tracking. 2redible due diligence demonstrates the steps ou have taken to understand and prevent human rights impacts. 3nitiatives like the 'lobal Reporting 3nitiative 4'R35 offer performance indicators that can get ou started, but each compan !ill need to customi<e its o!n human rights metrics. 3) ............................&&&&&&&&&&&&&& +he third pillar focuses on providing human rights victims !ith access to effective remedies. 2ompanies can establish operational-level grievance mechanisms, such as a confidential hotline or other !a for individuals to report human rights issues.

4) ............................&&&&&&&&&&&&&& ./rotect, Respect and Remed 0 gives ever one a common language for addressing human rights and business, and is alread having an impact. 'overnments !ill reference the ,rame!ork in efforts to regulate corporate conduct. Advocates !ill use the ,rame!ork to demand government and corporate accountabilit . =oluntar corporate, industr and multi-stakeholder human rights programs !ill align themselves !ith the ,rame!ork b revising codes of conduct, strengthening human rights due diligence, and establishing grievance mechanisms. 5) ............................&&&&&&&&&&&&&& +he $% ,rame!ork !ill shape the !a s investors evaluate our compan and ho! advocates engage !ith our compan . 3nvestors recentl used the ,rame!ork in a successful campaign urging a +o ota affiliate to divest a *oint venture !ith the )urmese militar . Human rights %'>s !ill shine a light on corporate human rights due diligence, or lack thereof. ,6) ............................&&&&&&&&&&&&&& ?#ecutives ma be tempted to focus e#clusivel on the .Respect0 pillar of the ,rame!ork, because it describes the responsibilities of companies. +he connections among the pillars, ho!ever, are !here the most challenging issues arise, and !here there are likel to be significant developments going for!ard. +!o developments bear !atching6 15 ho! governments foster corporate respect for human rights1 and ;5 ho! companies encourage governments to protect human rights. &tates ma establish legal liabilit for legal persons 4corporations5 and take steps to regulate firms operating abroad. &pecific measures on the hori<on are human rights reporting re@uirements, and mandator human rights impact assessments. ,inancial reporting re@uirements ma be the first place !here re@uired human rights reporting appears, b redefining materialit to include human rights impacts. 3n the other direction, companies increasingl are raising human rights concerns !ith the governments of countries !here the operate. Executives who can trans$ate rotect! Res"ect and Remedy# +or their com"any in -6,,! wi$$ have a com"etitive advantage as human rights go mainstream +or business&

7ocabu$ary Tas% 8heet Fill the gaps in the text with the following titles:
a. +rack and communicate our human rights performance.

b. 2onsider the full range of human rights and all of our compan (s activities and relationships. c. &takeholders !ill use the $% ,rame!ork to hold our compan accountable for respecting human rights. d. ?nsure that corporate human rights initiatives contain effective grievance mechanisms. e. /a attention to ho! governments and companies connect the ./rotect0 and .Respect0 pillars of the $% ,rame!ork. f. +he $% ,rame!ork is no! the de facto human rights standard for companies and their stakeholders.

g. 3nvest in human rights due diligence.

*ind the words in the text to match the +o$$owing de+initions)

a. to break a rule A to treat disrespectfull b. something given to make up for loss, in*ur , etc c. the act of bu ing or getting something d. to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and esp. members of a legislative bod 4people !ho make la!s5 e. precautions that are supposed to be taken b a person or compan in some conte#t f. the fact or condition of being an accomplice, esp in a criminal act g. to make less severe h. the !a a compan can set right an in*ustice caused b their actions or policies i. the state of being responsible to someone or for some action1 ans!erable