Sustainable development through human rights due diligence

Linking business and human rights to the SDGs

The database allows users to explore actions that companies have taken to avoid and address particular salient human rights issues. The actions are categorized in line with the different steps of the Human Rights Due Diligence process outlined in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). By choosing a particular salient human rights issue, users are presented with a series of "case briefs" that provide insight into company actions. Alongside each case brief, users can explore the SDGs and targets that the action contributes to. There are also links to the various steps of the human rights due diligence process with further explanation around the expectations on businesses.

While the database illustrates how specific actions to address human rights link to specific SDGs and targets, users of this database must remember that companies should take a holistic approach when looking at their human rights impacts as well as when engaging with the SDGs. In other words, companies should look at the entire spectrum of human rights and SDGs and not focus on specific rights or goals.

Access all salient issues description, case studies on due diligence and SDG contributions here. 

Acknowledgements

The Danish Institute for Human Rights (the Institute) would like to acknowledge the following organisations and individuals for their critical contributions to this website:

• Shift for the continuous support to the project
• Individual experts within the Institute who kindly reviewed the content
• Sida and DANIDA for their financial support to the project.

Responsibility for any errors present lies with the Institute. We would appreciate these being brought to our attention.

• The Danish Institute for Human Rights' discussion paper on an integrated approach to business, human rights and the 2030 Agenda gives an overview of the connections between human rights, responsible business conduct and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda).
• The Human Rights Guide to the Sustainable Development Goals: illustrating the human rights anchorage of the 17 SDGs by making concrete links between the 169 targets and international and regional human rights instruments.
• The SDG - Human Rights Data Explorer: making the link between human rights and sustainable development.
• Indicators and Data for Human Rights and Sustainable Development: a publication on the substantial synergies between human rights and sustainable development and the added value of having a human rights-based approach to SDG data and indicators.
• Shift's publication The Human Rights Opportunity: 15 real-life cases of how business is contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals by putting people first
• Oxfam's report Walking the Talk: Assessing companies' progress from SDG rhetoric to action
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and UN Global Compact's publication Integrating the SDGs into Corporate Reporting: A Practical Guide