One of the most important and urgent opportunities for responsible business is to support civic freedoms - freedoms of association, assembly, expression and privacy - and the people who exercise the rights to defend all human rights. There is a clear normative responsibility for companies to respect human rights, as set forth in the Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights (UNGPs), and companies also have a discretionary opportunity to go above and beyond these defined responsibilities and expectations. The UNGPs are a hard floor, not a low ceiling, for company action to support civic freedoms and human rights defenders (HRDs).

This page gathers the latest news on business action in support of human rights defenders and our Policy Tracker features publicly available policy commitments in support of HRDs, primarily in the extractives (mining and oil), apparel, information and communication technology (ICT), food and agricultural products and automobile sectors based on assessments by the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB) and the Renewable Energy Benchmark.

Our recommendations for companies

• Adopt and implement public policy commitments,  which recognise the valuable role of HRDs, reference specific risks to HRDs, ensure effective engagement and consultation with HRDs at all stages of the due diligence process, and commit to zero-tolerance for reprisals throughout the company’s operations, supply chains and business relationships.
• Accompany policy commitments by implementation guidance and plans, in line with the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights’ guidance, and civil society advice on appropriate indicators to monitor progress.
• Engage in and report on the results of human rights and environmental due diligence that integrates a gender perspective throughout and ensure effective access to remedy for those harmed by business activity, in accordance with the UNGPs, the UN Working Group’s guidance on ensuring respect for HRDs, and the UN Working Group’s gender guidance.
• Recognise Indigenous defenders are disproportionately at risk and create and implement public commitments to respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, grounded in their rights to self-determination (lands, territories and resources), and right to FPIC, including their right to define the process by which FPIC is achieved and to withhold consent (more detailed recommendations available here).
• Publicly commit to remedy adverse impacts on HRDs it has caused or contributed to and to work with suppliers to remedy adverse impacts directly linked to its operations, products and services. This includes establishing and adequately resourcing safe, effective and accessible UNGP-aligned grievance and accountability mechanisms that include protections for HRDs and whistle-blowers, handle third party complaints and provide robust follow-up to address and provide redress for grievances.
• Publicly recognise HRDs have a right to defend human rights and are essential allies in assisting businesses to adhere to their responsibilities under the UNGPs.
• Refrain from any lobbying, political spending and other direct or indirect forms of political engagement to support limits on civic freedoms, or to weaken laws to hold companies accountable for human rights abuses and environmental destruction.

Our recommendations for investors

• Publish a human rights policy which recognises the valuable role of HRDs in identifying risks associated with business activities and commits to a zero-tolerance approach to attacks against them. Clearly communicate the human rights expectations included in this policy to portfolio companies, including that companies:
  • disclose human rights and environment-related risks;
  • engage in ongoing consultation with communities, workers and HRDs;
  • have policies and processes to respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights (including land rights and FPIC);
  • respect the rights of HRDs; and
  • ensure effective access to remedy when harm occurs.
• Undertake rigorous human rights and environmental due diligence that integrates a gender perspective throughout and review potential investees for any past involvement with retaliation. This includes consulting with rightsholders and not relying on company self-disclosure as to whether Indigenous Peoples’ right to FPIC was respected.
• Avoid investing in companies with a history of human rights and environmental harms and retaliation against HRDs.
• Use leverage with investee companies which cause, contribute to or are directly linked to human rights and environmental harms, including attacks on HRDs, so the company mitigates negative impacts and provides access to remedy to those affected.