Paul Eagle, from the Amnesty UK Business Team, kindly came down to Blackheath on Tuesday night and gave a talk about the Business & Human Rights campaign. Here are the notes from the evening, pasted straight from our newsletter.
Businesses and economic institutions are increasingly coming into conflict with human rights due to a variety of reasons, the main one being globalization. Almost all multinationals no longer produce in the West but in third world countries. Multinationals can also influence the national governments in developing countries. The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Association are all influence by them. India and China especially are developing rapidly and are using natural resources in Africa to fuel their growth.
Accountability: A difficult issue. Most multinational companies, many Western governments, business associations and lobbyists prefer voluntarism and self-regulation as they consider this necessary to remain competitive. Civil societies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), damaged communities and employee organizations prefer regulation which needs to be at an international level to be effective – not always easily achievable.
Corporate Responsibility (CORE): Started five years ago as a group of environmental, developmental and human rights NGOs when the Labour government decided to review UK Company law. The new Companies Act came into effect in November 2006. Public companies now have to report on social / environmental impacts, employees, risks in their supply chains. Directors are accountable for these impacts. The government has committed to review the Act in 2 years time as to its effectiveness.
Blood Diamonds: A joint campaign with Global Witness who provide the research and AI provides the activists. The film has been successful in highlighting the issues, and the industry has agreed to make changes to the gaps identified in the Kimberley Process. Its aim is to track each diamond from the mine to the retailer.
Freedom of Expression and Internet Repression: The main focus is China, especially in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics. Campaigning against corporate complicity of global software and hardware companies. China is now even able to export their repressive technology.
The United Nations Norms and UN Special Representative for Business and Human Rights: Produced by the UN Human Rights Commission they bring together all the relevant aspects of international law that affect multinational businesses. Professor John Ruggie was appointed Special Representative for two years and has published his report now. He has asked for his mandate to be extended for another year which AI welcomes as it gives them someone to lobby. The UN Norms are currently being tested voluntarily by some multinationals.
Other possible areas of work and links to other campaign areas are Corruption (f.e. BAE Systems in Saudi Arabia), Privatisation of detention centres holding asylum seekers.
Links
Amnesty UK Business Team
Business and human rights
Corporate responsibility