Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Business and the International Human Rights Regime: A Comparison of UN Initiatives

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article argues that the extension of the international regime of human rights to companies has not changed the essentially state-centric nature of the regime. The analysis focuses on three recent United Nations initiatives: (1) ‘Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights’, (2) the Global Compact, and (3) the work of the UN special representative on business and human rights. The analysis shows that, despite these initiatives, states are the primary holders of human rights obligations and have a key role in the decision making and enforcement of the regime. Companies have participated to the regime, but they have done so mainly through lobbying governments and thus enforcing the role of states. The analysis also shows that the engagement of new actors to decision-making about the extension of regime norms is essential for norm adoption. Finally, the issue of non-compliant companies needs to be resolved before the regime can be considered established.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beyond Voluntarism: 2002, Beyond Voluntarism: Human Rights and the Developing International Legal Obligations of Companies, International Council on Human Rights Policy, Switzerland, Versoix.

    Google Scholar 

  • BLIHR (Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights): 2004, Report 2: Work in Progress (BLIHR, London)

  • BLIHR (Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights): 2006, Report 3: Towards a Common Framework on Business and Human Rights: Identifying Components (BLIHR, London)

  • Breitmeier, H., Young, O. R. and Zürn, M.: 2006, Analyzing International Environmental Regimes: From Case Study to Database (The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, C.: 2001, Understanding International Relations (Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke).

    Google Scholar 

  • Clapham, A.: 2006, Human Rights Obligations of Non-State Actors (Oxford University Press, Oxford).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cragg, W.: 2000, ‘Human Rights and Ethics: Fashioning a New Social Contract’, Journal of Business Ethics 27(1/2), 205-214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly, J.: 1986, ‘International Human Rights: A Regime Analysis’, International Organization 40(3), 599-642.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly, J.: 2003, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, 2nd edition (Cornell University Press, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Compact: 2007, UN Global Compact Annual Review, United Nations Global Compact Office, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haufler, V.: 2000, ‘Private Sector International Regimes’, in R. A. Higgott, G. R. D. Underhill and A. Bieler (eds.), Non-State Actors and Authority in the Global System (Routledge, London and New York), pp. 121-137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jerbi, S.: 2009, ‘Business and Human Rights at the UN: What might Happen Next? Human Rights Quarterly 31(2), 299-320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, S.: 2000, ‘An Overview of the Human Rights Accountability of Multinational Enterprises’, in M. T. Kamminga, and S. Zia-Zarifi (eds.), Liability of Multinational Corporations under International Law (Kluwer Law Publishers, The Hague), pp. 75-93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jungk, M.: 1999, ‘A Practical Guide to Addressing Human Rights Concerns for Companies Operating Abroad’, in M. Addo (ed.), Human Rights Standards and the Responsibility of Transnational Corporations (Kluwer Law Intl., The Hague), pp. 171-186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kell, G.: 2005, ‘The Global Compact: Selected Experiences and Reflections’, Journal of Business Ethics 59(1-2), 69-79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kell, G. and D. Levin: 2002, ‘The Evolution of the Global Compact Network: An Historic Experiment in Learning and Action’, Paper Presented at the Academy of Management Annual Conference (Denver, 11–14 August 2002)

  • Keohane, R. O.: 1982, ‘The Demand for International Regimes’, International Organization 36(2), 325-355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinley, D. and R. Chambers: 2006, ‘The UN Human Rights Norms for Corporations: The Private Implications of Public International Law’, Human Rights Law Review 6(3), 447-497.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krasner, S.: 1982, ‘Structural Causes and Regime Consequences: Regimes as Intervening Variables’, International Organization 36(2), 185-205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muchlinski, P. T.: 1999, Multinational Enterprises and the Law (Blackwell Publishers, Oxford).

    Google Scholar 

  • Muchlinski, P. T.: 2001, ‘Human Rights and Multinationals: Is There a Problem?’, International Affairs 77(1), 31-47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nickel, J. W.: 2002, ‘Is Today’s International Human Rights System a Global Governance Regime?’, The Journal of Ethics 6(44), 353-371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ratner, S.: 2001, ‘Corporations and Human Rights: A Theory of Legal Responsibility’, Yale Law Journal 111(3), 443-545.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Risse, T.: 2006, ‘Transnational Governance and Legitimacy’, in A. Benz and Y. Papadopoulos (eds.), Governance and Democracy: Comparing National, European and International Experiences (Routledge, London), pp. 179-199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruggie, J.: 2004, ‘Reconstituting the Global Public Domain – Issues, Actors, and Practices’, European Journal of International Relations 10(4), 499-531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruggie, J.: 2006, Interim Report of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, U.N. Doc E/CN.4/2006/97 (February 2006)

  • Ruggie, J.: 2008, ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy: A Framework for Business and Human Rights’, Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General On the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, U.N. Doc A/HRC/8/5 (7 April 2008)

  • Ruggie, J.: 2009, ‘Business and Human Rights: Towards Operationalizing the “Protect, Respect, and Remedy” Framework’, Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General On the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, U.N. Doc A/HRC/11/13 (22 April 2009)

  • Spar, D. L.: 1999, ‘Foreign Investment and Human Rights’, Challenge 42(1), 55-80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weissbrodt, D. and M. Kruger: 2003, ‘Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with regard to Human Rights’, The American Journal of International Law 97(4), 901-922.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weissbrodt, D. and M. Kruger: 2005, ‘Human Rights Responsibilities of Businesses as non-State Actors’, in P. Alston (ed.), Non-State Actors and Human Rights (Oxford University Press, Oxford), pp. 315-351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, O. F.: 2004, ‘The UN Global Compact: The Challenge and the Promise’, Business Ethics Quarterly 14(4), 278-286.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College London, London, U.K.

    Nina Seppala

Authors
  1. Nina Seppala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nina Seppala.

Additional information

Nina Seppala has formerly worked for the United Nations and International IDEA and is now lecturer at University College London.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Seppala, N. Business and the International Human Rights Regime: A Comparison of UN Initiatives. J Bus Ethics 87 (Suppl 2), 401–417 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0297-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0297-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation