View the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights
Development
Main Coordinating Authority
Danish Business Authority, Ministry of Business
Drafting Process
Research and interministeral discussions leading to the development of the action plan were conducted over a period of around 12 months (2013 to 2014). Within this process, interviews were conducted to develop a report that then formed the basis of discussion for a series of Stakeholder meetings.
- In the preparatory phase, the Danish Council for CSR (composed of Danish business and financial organisations, NGOs, local municipalities and trade unions) made recommendations on all Three Pillars of the UNGPs as to what they believed the Danish Government should do in order to implement them. The Council has been replaced in 2018 with The Council for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), the Danish Export Credit Fund and the Investment Fund for Developing Countries, were also specifically consulted to provide input towards the NAP.
- Three multistakeholder meetings were held.
- Written submissions from stakeholders were also invited.
- An interministerial group was formed.
- An internal review of the level of the State's implementation of the UNGPs was conducted by the Government.
Content
The NAP is structured around the Three Pillars of the UNGPs. For each Pillar it lists a short summary of the principles of UNGPs followed by:
- Recommendations from the Danish Council for CSR;
- Initiatives which have been implemented by the Danish Government;
- Initiatives which are planned.
The annexes also provide a comprehensive list of the above recommendations and actions, itemised by Guiding Principle.
Main Priorities / Focus areas in the Action Plan
Pillar I - State Duty to Protect
- Regulation, policy and legislation to protect human rights in the business sphere.
- Policy coherence.
- Promotion of human rights in commercial transactions and provision of guidance to companies.
- Reporting on Human Rights impacts.
- Extraterritorial legislation and a working group.
- Clarifying due diligence - with sections focusing on raising companies awareness; awareness raising by embassies, sector risk analysis; due diligence by the Government; and legally binding measures.
Pillar II: Corporate Responsibility to Respect
- Setting out clear expectations for companies.
- Evaluation of CSR reporting by companies.
Pillar III: Access to Remedy
- Improving access to both judicial and non-judicial remedies.
Review and Monitoring
The Government appointed the Danish Business Authority, under the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, as responsible for coordinating the activities under the NAP. The Trade Council and Danida (term used for Denmark’s development cooperation), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were appointed as responsible for the international planned actions, in cooperation with the Danish Business Authority. In parallel, an inter-ministerial Working Group was established to coordinate the involved Ministries.
