Phase 3: Analysing impacts
VIDEO: Overview of the analysing impacts phase
Phase 3 involves analysing the data that has been collected during scoping and data collection in order to identify any business-related impacts and assess their severity. This will involve drawing on the normative content of international human rights standards and principles, comparative projects, findings from stakeholder engagement and so forth. In practice, some of this analysis will occur during data collection itself, but it is nevertheless important to allocate time and space specifically for impact analysis.
It is important to include not only the impacts that seem the most ‘immediate’ but to consider impacts that the business has caused and contributed to, as well as impacts that are directly linked to business operations, products and services through business relationships. Impact analysis should also involve assessing impact severity, including by considering the scope, scale and irremediability of the impacts. This requires considering impacts from the perspectives of those who are experiencing them.
Lastly, to contribute to business respect for human rights, HRIA of business projects or activities should first and foremost focus on identifying and addressing adverse human rights impacts; therefore, while positive effects may be noted, the identification of positive human rights impacts is not the primary objective and should not detract from identifying and addressing adverse impacts.
Stakeholder engagement in Phase 3
During Phase 3, perspectives of rights-holders will be used for assessing the severity of impacts. HRIA practitioners should analyse vulnerabilities of affected stakeholders in order to determine severity of actual and potential impacts on different groups.
Section B.3 of Stakeholder Engagement details aspects HRIA practitioners should consider during this phase, including stakeholder vulnerability and needs.
- examples of human rights standards in impact analysis and examples of different types of human rights impacts. The supplement also includes a framework for assessing impact severity
VIDEO: Phase 3 case study – Oxfam/SOK. Severity and root causes of impacts. The case studies demonstrate practical experiences and dilemmas from HRIA practitioners and companies that have used this toolbox.
Disclaimer: The case studies are from external organisations and do not necessarily reflect the views of the DIHR. The DIHR is an independent, national human rights institution, established under the Paris Principles. Parties relying on any information contained within the case studies do so at their own discretion.