Corporations and human rights

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". . . even though States have the primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights, transnational corporations and other business enterprises, as organs of society, are also responsible for promoting and securing the human rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights"

Draft U.N. Human Rights Principles and Responsibilities for Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre's online library covers over 1200 companies, over 160 countries, over 150 topics. The site is composed of links to a wide range of materials published by companies, NGOs, governments, intergovernmental organisations, journalists, academics, etc. It includes reports of corporate misconduct, as well as positive examples of "best practice" by companies. The purpose of the Centre's website is to promote greater awareness and informed discussion of important issues relating to business and human rights. The Resource Centre is an independent, international, non-profit organisation, in a collaborative partnership with Amnesty International sections and leading academic institutions. Our International Advisory Network is chaired by Mary Robinson.
Caux Roundtable Guide to Corporate Social Reponsibilities and Business Ethics Codes: The Caux Round Table (CRT) has prepared summaries of selected corporate responsibility codes and standards. Each summary highlights the following features of the code in question -- its origin; its purpose; critical content; and the recommended implementation strategy or process. The CRT is an international network of principled business leaders working to promote a moral capitalism. The CRT advocates implementation of the CRT Principles for Business through which principled capitalism can flourish and sustainable and socially responsible prosperity can become the foundation for a fair, free and transparent global society.
United Nations Draft Human Rights Principles and Responsibilities for Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises: 3 June 2002 draft text of the Human Rights Principles and Responsibilities for Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises. It is the most authoritative and comprehensive set of guidelines to date on the applicability of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to companies.
World Monitors Inc.: World Monitors Inc. is a consulting group based in New York City that provides expertise to multinational companies, non-governmental and multilateral organizations seeking to align their business practices with human rights standards around the world. We understand the diverse and often conflicting needs of business enterprises and their stakeholders and work to find solutions.
UN Human Rights Norms for Business: In our increasingly globalised world, the power of private corporations has increased – and along with it, the need to ensure that businesses do not violate human rights. Many of you are no doubt aware of the development of the UN Human Rights Norms for Business – an important step toward greater accountability in the corporate sector, although there is still obviously a long way to go. I have attached a Briefing Kit that has recently been developed by ESCR-Net and partners to assist in your education, advocacy and lobbying around the Norms and keeping business accountable. The Kit includes information sheets, issue-oriented appendixes and cases studies. I hope that this will be useful to you, particularly in any lobbying you will be doing in the lead-up to the Commission on Human Rights. Kind regards, Clare Doube Commonwealth Human Rights Network Secretariat: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative New Delhi 110017, India Email: chrn@humanrightsinitiative.org