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Corporate social responsibility in the field of human rights

Presentation

Companies have, especially where they operate at the global level as multinational enterprises, become increasingly powerful. Many of those multinational companies have their headquarters in Council of Europe member States. While those companies generally bring benefits to society by generating tax revenues, creating jobs and improving technologies, the question of respect for human rights and accountability for violations by companies has been the subject of increasing debate at both international and national level. For several decades now the term “corporate social responsibility” has been used in this context to describe a mechanism by which companies take responsibility for their actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on, inter alia, human rights. With the adoption of the “UN Guiding Principles for the Implementation of the UN ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ Framework” by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2011, the topic has recently received fresh impetus.

At its 73rd meeting (6-9 December 2011), the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) had an exchange of views on a roadmap to execute work on several themes mentioned in its terms of reference, amongst them corporate social responsibility in the field of human rights. It instructed the Secretariat to elaborate a preliminary study on this topic, taking stock of existing instrument instruments of the Council of Europe and other international bodies, to be considered at the 75th meeting (19-22 June 2012.

At that meeting, the CDDH also had an exchange of views with a representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on possible ways to involve of the Council of Europe in the field of corporate social responsibility. For further information, see the report of the 75th CDDH meeting (CDDH(2012)R75).

At its 76th meeting (27-30 November 2012), the CDDH adopted a feasibility study on corporate social responsibility in the field of human rights which contains the proposal for a strategy for the Council of Europe for human rights and business. The CDDH decided to submit the study to the Committee of Ministers for decision about future action. [Link to addendum VII to the 76th CDDH report]

On 30 January 2013, the Committee of Ministers took note of the study and gave the CDDH further instructions, without prejudice to its future decisions about the Council of Europe Programme and Budget for the biennium 2014/2015.

In particular, it instructed the CDDH to elaborate a declaration of the Committee of Ministers supporting the UN Guiding Principles and to submit it to the Committee of Ministers by 30 June 2014, as well as to elaborate – in co-operation with the private sector and civil society – a non-binding instrument, which may include a guide of good practice, addressing gaps in the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles at the European level, including with respect to access to justice for victims of corporate human rights abuses, and to submit it to the Committee of Ministers by 31 December 2015.

The Committee of Ministers also recommended that corporate social responsibility issues are taken into consideration in the Council of Europe activities concerning in particular children’s rights, Internet governance and social rights, and that such activities are carried out in close co-operation with the European Union, the United Nations, as well as with other international organisations and other bodies specialised in the field of corporate social responsibility and human rights.” [Link to decision of the CM - 1160th meeting – 30 January 2013].

Documents

2013

 Feasibility Study on Corporate Social Responsibility in the Field of Human Rights, Council of Europe’s contribution to the Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles, by Jörg Polakiewicz, Head of Human Rights Policy and Development Department

Presentation

2012

Feasibility study on corporate social responsibility in the field of human rights

CDDH(2012)RAP76 AddVIII

Comments by the International Commission of Jurists on the Draft Feasibility Study on Corporate Social Responsibility in the Field of Human Rights
presented at 76th CDDH, 27-30 November 2012, Strasbourg

ICJ comments

Draft preliminary study on corporate social responsibility in the field of human rights: existing standards and outstanding issues

CDDH(2012)012