Civil society statement: the urgent need for a new UK law on business and human rights

‘The urgent will need for a new United kingdom regulation on enterprise and human legal rights- a ‘Business, Human Legal rights and Atmosphere Act’’, 23 February 2022

“The Uk was at the time a pioneer on company and human rights. But now, the Uk is evidently slipping driving other countries in its duty to defend our human rights and atmosphere from corporate abuse. The United kingdom was the 1st region to produce a ‘Business and Human Rights Countrywide Action Plan’ primarily based on the UN Guiding Rules on Enterprise and Human Legal rights (UNGPs) and 1 of the first to pass a domestic supply chain law, in the variety of S.54 of the Modern Slavery Act. The apparent future stage for the Governing administration, subsequent a calendar year exactly where it has chaired the G7 and COP26, is to present world management by introducing a new law to require firms to carry out human rights and environmental because of diligence in get to protect against and mitigate the challenges that they pose to rights – as termed for by the universally accredited Guiding Concepts.

This legislation, which we refer to as Uk ‘Business, Human Rights and Natural environment Act’ have to also include things like legal legal responsibility for hurt – modelled on the United kingdom Bribery Act’s ‘failure to protect against approach’ as currently suggested by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Legal rights – to be certain obtain to treatment for victims of abuses.

We are encouraged that the Govt now says that it: “…would will need to be persuaded that any proposals to mandate supply chain owing diligence in British isles legislation are functional, proportionate and would supply tangible improvements to the security of people’s rights in the Uk and in other places in the world.” And we stand ready to get the job done with the British isles Federal government and Parliament to enable build the useful and powerful new law referred to as for by civil culture, business enterprise and the British isles public…”