Corporate respect for human rights: A driver for sustainable development
With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, the world’s leaders have indicated a global pathway for transformative change in which business has a key role to play.
However, business actions on the Sustainable Development Goals sometimes remain disconnected from efforts to increase corporate respect for human rights.
While the SDGs require rapid action if they are to be achieved by 2030, it is essential that respect for human rights remain an integral part of all such actions by the business community.
In order to assist and inspire companies the Danish Institute for Human Rights has developed a database, which demonstrates that by putting respect for human rights at the centre of business conduct businesses can directly contribute to realising the Sustainable Development Goals.
Connecting inspiring case stories to the SDGs
The database provides over 100 real examples of businesses taking action to avoid and address their salient human rights issues. Alongside each example, users can see the SDGs and targets that the companies' actions are linked to.
The Danish Institute for Human Rights wants the launch of the database to lead to dialogue around good business practices.
Launching the database in a road-testing version allows for the Institute to receive reflections and input and continue to update the database.
The actions are also categorised in line with the different steps of the human rights due diligence process outlined in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
By choosing a particular salient human rights issue, for example child labour, land rights, working hours or discrimination and harassment users encounter case stories that provide information on actions that companies have taken to address particular challenges connected to these salient human rights issues.