“corporate social responsibility in the middle east” istanbul, 19-20 june 2013 business...
TRANSCRIPT
“Corporate Social Responsibility in the Middle East”
Istanbul, 19-20 June 2013
Business Commitment toHuman Rights
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre www.business-humanrights.org
Why a human rights approach?
human rights are grounded in internationally-accepted and recognized standards
Irene Khan, former Secretary-General of Amnesty International, noted: "Human rights are rooted in law. Respecting and protecting them was never meant to be an optional extra, a matter of choice. It is expected and required. It should be part of the mainstream of any company's strategy, not only seen as part of its corporate social responsibility strategy."
CSR approach tends to be top-down
Human rights approach is bottom-up with the individual at the centre, not the corporation.
From a company’s perspective, this means that it is an effective framework to use when assessing potential risks the business may face throughout its operations.
CSR VS Business & Human Rights
There is a strong ‘business case’ for respecting human rights, companies are obliged to respect human rights at all times, not just when it suits them.
-Working towards a safe workplace for women, free from sexual harassment definitely maintain skilled women in work.
-Communication companies who shut down their services in Egypt during the Tahrir square demonstration, suffered heavily from consumers’ “sanctions” post the events.
-(Extractive sector) Oil drilling companies in Egypt taking no consideration of the livelihoods in the region
The business case
• Discrimination against women (mandated by law in Saudi Arabia)• Practical barriers to freedom of association (widespread –Iraq,
UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Syria…)• Unequal pay between men and women (widespread)• Other forms of discrimination• Harassment of colleagues in the office• Restrictions on freedom of speech• Selling of arms selling to repressive countries (Syria, Saudi Arabia)• Selling of surveillance software – and attacks on privacy (Egypt,
KSA, Yemen, Syria, Iran, UAE)• Migrant workers’ working conditions• Poor safety measures • Abuses by private security companies hired for protection• IT and telecom companies’ complicity in surveillance and
censorship
Human rights dilemmas in MENA
1. Company response process
CompanyNGO,
civil society
Resource Centre
Website1.5 million
hits
Company response process
For A Better LifeMigrant Worker Abuse in Bahrain and the Government Reform Agenda
H U M A NR I G H T SW A T C H
2. Positive initiatives by companies
Remarks from a roundtable in Cairo:
Co-hosted by the Global Business Initiative, UN Global Compact, Egyptian Corporate Responsibility Centre & others:
3. Guidance
UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights
ILO instruments, such as the Tripartite Declaration
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
UN Global Compact
ISO 26 000 standard
Multi-stakeholder initiatives for particular sectors
Company-level human rights and CSR policies
Relevant frameworks
Integrating respect for human rights:
Make a public commitment to respect human
rights Tell people what you are doing
Provide a solution if things go wrong
Check for human rights risks
Take action to deal with risks you
identify
Monitor your progress
The Guiding principles on Business and Human Rights in MENA
• A new development of the human rights concept
• Little knowledge about the GPs among civil society, government, business, unions, academia and the media
• Lack or no making use of GPs
• Low levels of awareness on how CSR relates to Business and Human Rights
• Minimal advocacy efforts by civil society relating to GPs
Ways forward• Mainstreaming Principles into existing initiatives (domestically and
regionally).• Urging states to incorporate GPs into legislations.• GPs can be a basis for development of corporate human rights policies and
standards• GPs can be a good tool for advocacy with states and corporations• GPs could be a good authoritative reference for developing a progressive
jurisprudence.• Can be taken forward by similar initiatives at the regional level: OECD,
Working Group of ACHPR on Extractives Industries.• On the road to a binding instrument on the accountability of PSMCs for HR
violations. • Resorting to, and import GPs into, opportunities which domestic laws and
remedies currently offer: See ICJ Access to Justice Studies, US ATCA, SA PSMC Act, Alternative mechanisms, startegic litigation.
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Sa’eda Al-Kilani and Rania Fazah
Middle East & North Africa Researchers & Representatives,
based in Jordan & Lebanon
Teşekkür Ederim شكرا
Thank You!Merci!
Gracias!Grazie!
Obrigado!谢谢 !