Pillars in Practice

This programme activates a strategic partnership with Social Accountability International (SAI) to advance the UN Guiding Principles for Business & Human Rights in Bangladesh, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe

The ‘Pillars in Practice’ Programme builds the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Bangladesh, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe, to engage with and train in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The main goal of the programme is to activate a strategic alliance by establishing the training capacity of CSO partners in each of the three countries to sustainably promote and assist in the implementation of UNGPs by local and multinational companies, government agencies and other local CSOs.

The programme targets three industrial sectors over an 18-month period: agriculture in Nicaragua, garment manufacturing in Bangladesh, and mining in Zimbabwe. The activities are implemented by a consortium of international and local organisations: Social Accountability International (USA), UniRSE (Union Nicaraguense para la Responsabilidad Social Empresarial) (Nicaragua), the CSR Centre (Bangladesh), the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zimbabwe) and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (Denmark).

To meet its goal, the ‘Pillars in Practice’ programme has six key objectives: 1) customisation of training materials; 2) training of trainers; 3) implementation of UNGPs; 4) generation of multi-stakeholder dialogues; 5) publication of three case studies on the UNGPs in action; and 6) knowledge-sharing with the UN working group on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

Partners

Social Accountability International (USA), UniRSE (Union Nicaraguense para la Responsabilidad Social Empresarial) (Nicaragua), the CSR Centre (Bangladesh), the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zimbabwe)

Donors

U.S. Department of State