Abstract
In the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster as well as ongoing human rights abuses perpetuated by multinational corporations, the impetus for the business and human rights (BHR) movement continues to gain momentum. Business and human rights issues are no longer considered two distinct realms operating in isolation from one another but are rather seen as intertwined and in need of being holistically addressed. Nevertheless, despite the growing recognition of the importance for corporations to address human rights issues, responsibilities for corporations in this area have mainly been at the voluntary level. That is, corporate human rights obligations tend to be phrased in permissive rather than mandatory language, and enforcement of these voluntary obligations is either weak or, more likely, non-existent. For that reason, corporate human rights obligations are often termed ‘soft’ law. Recently, however, there have been attempts to ‘harden’ corporate human rights obligations. Several countries are currently negotiating a binding Business and Human Rights treaty which, on completion, would impose legally binding human rights obligations on multinational corporations. Efforts have also been made at the domestic level to harden business and human rights, with notable examples in the UK and France.
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Notes
- 1.
Manik and Yardley (2013).
- 2.
For an overview of this treaty process, see Choudhury (2016b).
- 3.
- 4.
UN Communication on Human Rights (2009), Para. 55.
- 5.
UN (2009), Para. 46.
- 6.
For a good overview of the Global Compact, see Rasche (2009), p. 511.
- 7.
International Labour Organization (1978), p. 422.
- 8.
OECD (2011).
- 9.
Shelton (2006), p. 320.
- 10.
Shelton (2006), p. 320.
- 11.
- 12.
- 13.
- 14.
Chinkin (1989), p. 851.
- 15.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 421.
- 16.
D’Amato and Engel (1996), pp. 56–57.
- 17.
Chinkin (1989), p. 859.
- 18.
- 19.
- 20.
Shelton (2006), p. 322.
- 21.
- 22.
- 23.
Chinkin (1989), p. 861.
- 24.
- 25.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 434.
- 26.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), pp. 435–437.
- 27.
- 28.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 320
- 29.
- 30.
- 31.
Chinkin (1989), p. 862
- 32.
- 33.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 427.
- 34.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 427.
- 35.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 427.
- 36.
Franck (1988), p. 712.
- 37.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 429.
- 38.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), pp. 429, 433.
- 39.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 422.
- 40.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 433.
- 41.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), pp. 427, 441.
- 42.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), p. 423.
- 43.
Keller (2008), p. 223.
- 44.
This included attempts to draft the United Nations Draft Code of Conduct for Transnational Corporations and to foster a New International Economic Order, which emphasised the need to regulate MNCs.
- 45.
OECD (2011).
- 46.
OECD Guidelines, Paras 2, 8.
- 47.
OECD (2011).
- 48.
United Nations (1980), p. 813.
- 49.
World Health Organization (1981).
- 50.
For a good overview of the history of the development of the UN Norms, see Weissbrodt and Kruger (2003), pp. 903–905.
- 51.
UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (2003) Norms on the responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.
- 52.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2004) Responsibilities of transnational corporations and related business enterprises.
- 53.
See generally Rasche (2009).
- 54.
- 55.
UN Human Rights Council (2008), para. 9.
- 56.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2011).
- 57.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2011), Guiding Principle 11.
- 58.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2011), Guiding Principle 13.
- 59.
UN Commission on Human Rights (2009), para 46.
- 60.
UN Commission on Human Rights (2009), para 55.
- 61.
Compare, for example, the UN Norms which detailed corporate obligations in relation to a variety of rights including human rights, the rights of workers, consumer protection and environmental protection and the UNGPs which speak only generally of respecting human rights.
- 62.
For an overview of state attempts to draft a binding business and human rights treaty, see Choudhury (2016b).
- 63.
Morgan (2003), p. 2.
- 64.
Aguilera (2013), p. 37.
- 65.
- 66.
Karmel and Kelly (2009), p. 883.
- 67.
Ferran and Alexander (2011), p. 1.
- 68.
Ferran and Alexander (2011), p. 6.
- 69.
- 70.
Parker (2002), pp. 245–91.
- 71.
- 72.
Brummer (2010), p. 638.
- 73.
Brummer (2010), p. 638.
- 74.
- 75.
UN Human Rights Council (2008).
- 76.
- 77.
See, for example, the debate on this issue between the US Courts and James Crawford and Christopher Greenwood in Presbyterian Church of Sudan v. Talisman Energy Inc., Republic of Sudan.
- 78.
See generally Wettstein (2015).
- 79.
Today a host of institutions engage in human rights monitoring, from sustainability firms to audit companies, and even NGOs. See Scott (2008), n 74.
- 80.
There are a number of different possible theoretical explanations for corporate duties for human rights. See, for example, Černič (2009).
- 81.
Investment cooperation and facilitation agreement between the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of Malawi, Art. 9 (2015).
- 82.
For a more comprehensive discussion of this argument, see Choudhury (2016b).
- 83.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2011), Guiding Principle 15.
- 84.
Shift (2015).
- 85.
Shift (2016).
- 86.
- 87.
For elaboration on these benefits, see Choudhury (2016b).
- 88.
States opposing the promulgation of a binding instrument on business and human rights include the US, the UK, France, Italy, Japan, Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, South Korea, Romania, and Macedonia. See Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (2014).
- 89.
International Convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families (came into force 1 July 2003).
- 90.
For a full list of ratifications see, UN Treaty Collection (2016).
- 91.
Assemblée Nationale (2015), Art. 1.
- 92.
Assemblée Nationale (2015), Art. 1.
- 93.
See also Nieuwenkamp (2015).
- 94.
For an overview of the status of the proposed legislation see Assemble Nationale, Entreprises: Devoir de vigilance des entreprises donneuses d’ordre.
- 95.
Modern Slavery Act (2015), s 54.
- 96.
Modern Slavery Act (2015), s 54(5).
- 97.
For an overview of non-financial disclosure rules in different countries, see Choudhury (2016a).
- 98.
Modern Slavery Act (2015), s 54(6).
- 99.
Modern Slavery Act (2015), s 54(7).
- 100.
Modern Slavery Act (2015), s 54(11).
- 101.
UK Home Office (2015).
- 102.
Abbott and Snidal (2000), pp. 422, 429, 433.
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Choudhury, B. (2017). Hardening Soft Law Initiatives in Business and Human Rights. In: du Plessis, J., Low, C. (eds) Corporate Governance Codes for the 21st Century. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51868-8_9
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