'Smart Mix' in the Nordics

By developing this snapshot, the Danish Institute for Human Rights hopes to:

• inform country level processes on business and human rights;
• contribute to engagement at EU level, including around mandatory human rights due diligence (mHRDD); and 
• spark neighbourly dialogue on voluntary and mandatory, national and international efforts to promote corporate respect for human rights

The report provides a snapshot in time on the development of a smart mix of measures on business and human rights in the Nordics and includes non-exhaustive examples to illustrate efforts undertaken by the covered countries to regulate the global human rights impacts of businesses within their jurisdiction, with a focus on state led initiatives. 

The snapshot finds that the four covered countries generally have a number of practices in place to foster respect for human rights in their national contexts through voluntary means. There are further many areas in which state practices are aligned, including developed stakeholder consultation processes, commitments to upholding the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in investment and certain external actions and a defined role for their respective OECD National Contact Points. Some states have gone further in relation to human rights related Non-Financial Reporting requirements, and have taken more steps toward eventually implementing mHRDD such as through the development of legal studies or legislative proposals. Finally, although each of the states considered were among the first to adopt a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP), in most cases the NAPs no longer guide the current approach to business and human rights.

The snapshot does not constitute an evaluation of the covered states’ efforts to meet their human rights obligations to protect against human rights abuses by business nor an evaluation of these countries’ performance against the state duty to protect as described in the UNGPs. Rather, it is offered as a resource document for stakeholders working on business and human rights in the Nordic context and beyond, allowing readers to compare similarities and differences in policy and regulatory developments.

This snapshot will be launched in connection with a roundtable event on 25 March 2021 which aims to take stock of developments at the national level in Nordic countries and explore potential Nordic perspectives on current EU legislative processes.