Putting people first: progress & priorities in corporate respect for human rights

Who’s behind it? – WBCSD (2018)

How can it help? – 2018 marks seven years since the United Nations Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), establishing the first global standard on the respective roles of businesses and governments in helping to ensure that companies respect human rights in their own operations and through their business relationships.

This issue brief highlights some of the key developments that have characterized the business and human rights landscape in the period since the UNGPs were launched, exploring areas in which business has made progress in the implementation of this agenda and identifying a number of the enduring challenges.

In doing so the brief draws upon World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) latest thinking, analysis and publications related to human rights, research of human rights reporting trends among the membership of WBCSD as well as insights into how WBCSD members are aligning to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ultimately this brief aims to inform, stimulate and add to the discussion around t he dynamic and essential issue of business and human rights.