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Our commitment to business and human rights

16 December 2009

In response to a request by the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights for Government to develop a strategy that clearly sets out human rights standards for UK businesses, a spokesperson for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said:

“We’re helping people to understand how human rights apply at home, at school, at work and in the community. We set out how we’re doing this in our human rights strategy, published last month, which includes working closely with the private sector on using human rights in business. We’re holding a roundtable discussion on 21 January about this and are looking forward to forming a Working Group with representatives from business, civil society, government and academia.”

The specific commitments relating to business and human rights made by the Commission in its human rights strategy are being developed into a detailed programme of work. It will: -

• Develop a strategy on the private sector and human rights which takes forward recent work from the Ministry of Justice, the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights.
• Encourage and support a multi-stakeholder dialogue on business and human rights in the UK with business, civil society and government.
• Undertake research on the key human rights issues on which UK businesses have an impact.
• Build business and public awareness of the key human rights issues in the private sector.
• Hold a high-level summit on the implementation of the work of the UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights in the UK.

The Commission has already been carrying out work around human rights and business. This year it has:

• Presented written and oral evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry on Business and Human Rights.
• Participated on the Ministry of Justice’s Private Sector and Human Rights Steering Group.
• Worked closely with the Ministry of Justice and Business in the Community on the launch of the Ministry of Justice’s scoping report on the private sector and human rights and held an internal strategy workshop facilitated by the report’s authors.
• Attended a conference on the framework proposed by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Business and Human Rights, John Ruggie, in Geneva.

Ends

See our Human Rights Strategy

For more press information contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission media office on 020 3117 0255, out of hours 07767 272 818.

For general enquiries please contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s national helpline: England 0845 604 6610 / Scotland 0845 604 5510 / Wales 0845 604 8810

Notes to Editors

The Commission is the UN accredited human rights body for Great Britain with specific responsibilities to promote and monitor implementation of human rights law. 

The Commission is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006, which took over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission.  It is the independent advocate for equality and human rights in Britain.  It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights.  The Commission enforces equality legislation on age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status, and encourages compliance with the Human Rights Act.  It also gives advice and guidance to businesses, the voluntary and public sectors, and to individuals.