A company’s commitment to respecting human rights should be reflected in a statement of policy. The process of developing such a policy commitment is likely to involve planning and consultation; it creates an opportunity to build internal understanding of the company’s responsibility and is therefore about more than merely getting words on paper. A policy commitment should explain how the company understands its responsibility to respect human rights. It is a way for the company to set clear expectations and provide guidance for those who need to adhere to or implement the policy, such as the company’s own workforce, its suppliers and other business partners. It should be approved at the highest levels of the organization to signal the seriousness of the commitment.
Learn more: see all our resource library listings below, as well as specific sections from these comprehensive resources:
- Guiding Principles 12, 16 and 23 and their commentary
- UNGP Reporting Framework questions A1, A1.1, A1.2, A1.3 and their implementation guidance
- The Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights: An Interpretive Guide: p.26
- Doing Business With Respect for Human Rights: Chapter 3.1
- How to Do Business With Respect for Children’s Right to Be Free From Child Labour: p.26
- Guidance for Companies on Respecting the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation: p.33
- European Commission Sector Guides on Implementing the Guiding Principles: employment agencies: p.18; ICT: p.17; oil and gas: p.15