Responsible business conduct

UN Guiding Principles and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights

Since 2011, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) have provided a global framework of concrete guidelines for States and companies to respect and protect human rights, and remedy human rights abuses caused by business operations.

Multilateral institutions, national governments and business and civil society stakeholders are engaging in multiple efforts to implement the Guiding Principles. At the state level, the key instrument is a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights – a policy document setting out a framework of priorities and articulating action towards implementing the UNGP.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the ILO and the OECD are jointly implementing the project “Responsible Business Conduct in Latin America and the Caribbean”. The project supports governments in developing and implementing National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights and it strives to enhance businesses understanding and capacities to implement Due Diligence.

Among the Latin American countries featured on the MDNP, Chile, Colombia and Peru already have an NAP, while Argentina and Mexico are in the process of developing theirs.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights provides information on the status of global efforts to develop NAPs, including those of Chile and Colombia. Click below to visit the Institute’s platform and learn more on the status of each country’s NAP process.

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OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct

In 2018, the OECD published the Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct. The objective of this initiative is to provide practical support to enterprises on the implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises by providing plain language explanations of its due diligence recommendations and associated provisions.

This Guidance also seeks to promote a common understanding amongst governments and stakeholders on due diligence for Responsible Business Conduct. Implementing these recommendations helps enterprises avoid and address adverse impacts related to workers, human rights, the environment, bribery, consumers and corporate governance that may be associated with their operations, supply chains and other business relationships. In addition, the OECD has developed a Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas specifically for the mining sector.

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The Responsible Business Conduct Working Group

The Responsible Business Conduct Working Group (RBC WG) is an informal, cross-party group of Members of the European Parliament, who are interested in promoting and championing responsible business conduct and due diligence in business operations and in business relationships.

The RBC WG promotes responsible business conduct within the European Union and beyond. It brings expertise to the European Parliament by fostering collaboration with experts and other stakeholders as well as among Members of the European Parliament in different committees.

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United Nations Global Compact

The UN Global Compact is a voluntary initiative based on the commitments of businesses to implement universal sustainability principles, human rights and UN goals. The UN Global Compact has at its core an understanding of corporate responsibility as principles-based business practices for sustainability. It requests all participating businesses and non-business organisations to adhere to 10 principles.

Have a look at the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact.

The United Nations Global Compact’s Ten Principles are derived from: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the UN Convention Against Corruption.

Latin American countries and companies strongly engage with the UN Global Compact: All seven Latin American countries featured on the MDNP have Global Compact Local Networks and are home to companies that have committed to the 10 Global Compact principles.

Click on each country below to access their Global Compact Local Network site and learn more about each country’s companies from the “Mining” and “Industrial metals & mining” sectors that are actively participating in the Global Compact.

PERU
  • The business association Confederación Nacional de Instituciones Empresariales Privadas (CONFIEP) hosts the Secretariat of the Global Compact Peruvian network
  • Participating mining companies

URUGUAY
  • The Red de Pacto Global Uruguay was set up in August 2020.
  • No participating mining companies