View the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights
Development
Main Coordinating Authority
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Drafting Process
The National Action plan was prepared over the course of a year from 2016 to 2017. The development process involved multiple Government departments and agencies, alongside independent think-tanks specialising in Business and Human Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility issues, trade unions, and business associations.
National Baseline Assessment: The various Ministries involved each conducted an analysis to identify whether and where Polish law and practice require specific changes and adjustment in relation to the UNGPs, and a consultation with stakeholders facilitated an evaluation of the identified issues from a variety of perspectives.
Content
Main Priorities / Focus areas in the Action Plan
Pillar I - State Duty to Protect
- Whistleblower protections.
- Forced labour.
- Introduction of legislation related to the prevention of sexual exploitation of minors in hotel facilities.
- Extending the right of workers to organise to cover individuals performing paid work not covered by exiting law, in particular contractors or self-employed individuals.
- Issues related to hate speech or incitement to violence, as well as the use of unauthorised technical restrictions on freedom of speech in social media.
- The improvement of conditions in temporary employment.
- Employment agencies.
- Inclusion of the UNGPs principles to administrative proceedings.
- The principle of proportionality, impartiality, and the principle of equal treatment.
- Uniform standards for the imposition of administrative penalties.
- Shortening and streamlining class actions to make it possible to adjudicate more cases in class actions, including the claims of entrepreneurs.
Pillar II: Corporate Responsibility to Respect
- Implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (2030 Agenda).
- Dialogue and exchange of knowledge and experience in implementing CSR.
- Non-financial reporting: implementation of Directive 2014/95/EU.
- Investment strategy and an ideal investor’s profile.
- Corporate social responsibility in companies with State Treasury shareholding.
- UNGPs in the operations of the Export Credit Insurance Corporation.
- Social entrepreneurship as an instrument for creating high-quality jobs for individuals at risk of poverty and social exclusion.
- Equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
- Education and wide dissemination of the UNGPs and CSR/RBC standards, including responsible supply chains and respect for human rights. These actions should be addressed both to direct producers and companies in the supply chain, as well as to consumers.
Pillar III: Access to Remedy
- Activities to ensure access to court and out-of-court remedies.
- Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.
- The National Labour Inspectorate (PIP).
- The OECD National Contact Point.
- The Committee for Matters of the European Court of Human Rights.
- Mediation.
Review and Monitoring
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate the review process, with each Ministry or Institution taking responsibility for its relevant implementation actions. An interim report was prepared at the end of 2018, and a final report will be prepared at the end of 2020.
