Any of our business? Human Rights and the UK private sector - Human Rights Joint Committee

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Human Rights Joint Committee Publications

Human Rights Joint Committee - First Report
Any of our business? Human Rights and the UK private sector

Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Lords and the House of Commons to be printed 24 November 2009.

CONTENTS

Terms of Reference

REPORT

SUMMARY

1  INTRODUCTION

Our inquiry
Visit to the United States
Structure of this Report

2  ANY OF OUR BUSINESS?

Why do human rights matter to UK business?

UK Government and UK business overseas

Do human rights matter for small businesses?
What about the recession?

3  THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACTS OF UK BUSINESS

Positive impacts
Negative impacts

Activities in the UK
UK business overseas

4  THE INTERNATIONAL DEBATE

The OECD Guidelines
Reform of the OECD Guidelines
The Work of the UN Special Representative

Limitations of the protect, respect and remedy framework
Waiting for 2011?

An international agreement on business and human rights?

5  RESPECT: THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESS

What does the responsibility to respect human rights mean?

What does "respect" mean for UK business?

Limits of the responsibility to respect?

Respect for human rights and corporate social responsibility
Voluntary arrangements and multilateral international initiatives

6  PROTECT: THE DUTIES OF THE UK

The application of the HRA 1998 to the private sector
Offence of forced labour in the UK
Labour and Union Rights

7  A UK STRATEGY ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS?

The UK Government approach
The need for a UK strategy on business and human rights
What would a UK strategy look like?

Extraterritoriality
International standards and legal certainty
Competitiveness and the playing field argument

8  SPECIFIC AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT?

Clearer standards in guidance and support
Public procurement
Public investments
Export Credit Guarantees
Company law and reporting standards
Investment, listing rules and socially responsible investors
Conflict, business and human rights

9  THE ROLE FOR UK NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS

10  REMEDY: THE RIGHT TO A REMEDY

The problem

Extraterritorial jurisdiction: the Alien Torts Claims Act Model
A UK Commission for Business, Human Rights and the Environment

11  CONCLUSION

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

ANNEX 1: BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS MINI-CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS
ANNEX 2: US VISIT PROGRAMME
ANNEX 3: INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
FORMAL MINUTES
WITNESSES
LIST OF WRITTEN EVIDENCE
LIST OF UNPRINTED EVIDENCE
LIST OF REPORTS FROM THE COMMITTEE DURING THE CURRENT PARLIAMENT

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HL 5-II/HC 64-II)

Wednesday 3 June 2009
Tuesday 9 June 2009
Tuesday 30 June 2009
Tuesday 7 July 2009
Tuesday 14 July 2009

WRITTEN EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HL 5-II/HC 64-II)

© Parliamentary copyright 2009
Prepared 16 December 2009