UK Parliamentary Discussion on the new UN Guiding Principles

The Institute for Human Rights & Business (IHRB) in collaboration with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on International Corporate Responsibility, held an event on June 20th in the UK Parliament to discuss the implications of the newly adopted UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Below is a brief summary of the discussions.

The discussion focused on the challenges faced by British businesses operating in conflict and high-risk zones, and featured the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Mike Posner, as the keynote speaker.

In addition, Lisa Nandy, Chair of the APPG, and Henry Bellingham MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Africa, the UN, economic issues, conflict resolution and climate change reflected on the role of the UK Government in promoting corporate responsibility and tackling corruption through the new UK Bribery Act.

With the new UN Guiding Principles adopted by the Human Rights Council just days prior, Assistant Secretary Posner discussed his views on the significance of the UN Protect, Respect, Remedy framework for the future of the business and human rights landscape.

Mr. Posner highlighted emerging issues such as small-scale farms and links to child labour, and ongoing challenges with respect to supply chains and the impact companies can have on the rights of workers in countries around the world. He also addressed challenging questions from the audience of MPs, business and civil society representatives on issues such as the role of the US in the evolution of the updated OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and its Human Rights chapter, and the implications of the US Dodd-Frank Act on Wall Street reform and consumer protection.

Encapsulating the sentiments of the evening, Lisa Nandy MP closed by stressing that the event demonstrated the growing energy around the business and human rights agenda and stressed that it marked just the beginning of the APPG’s work to urge Parliament and businesses to prioritize this important subject in the coming years.