Peacemakers Trust: Business, Human Rights and Conflict

Business, human rights and conflict

This page is part of a Peacemakers Trust initiative aimed at preventing and addressing violence and human rights violations associated with businesses. This list includes links to relevant international law as well as a list of Canadian stakeholders including government, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and businesses. This initiative is in development phases.

In keeping with a broad definition of "peacebuilding," we include links to actors in civil society, government and businesses working on issues related to business, human rights and conflict. Peacemakers Trust has compiled these links for research purposes, and cannot take responsibility for contents of third party web sites. Inclusion of a link to a site does not imply endorsement by or association with Peacemakers Trust. Please contribute suggestions.

International Law and Standards

UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (pdf). The Guiding Principles were unanimously adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on 16 June 2011. While the Guiding Principles do not comprise a binding treaty, they are based on existing international human rights law and principles in treaties and customary international law. See more information about the history and framework of the Guiding Principles, compiled by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre headquartered in London and New York.

OECD Guidlines on Multinational Enterprises of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). See more information on the OECD Guidelines, including annual reports. The OECD Guidelines incorporates the UN Guiding Principles in Chapter IV.

ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (2017) of the International Labour Organization (ILO). This Declaration is grounded in international labour standards founded on ILO treaties and recommendations. This page links to the text of the ILO Tripartite Declaration (MNE Declaration) as well as operational tools, news and other information.

Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. The VPs were established in 2000 by the United States and the United Kingdom governments together with corporations in the extractive and energy sectors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with interest in "human rights and corporate social responsibility." This page links to information about the VPS including lists of participating governments, corporations and NGOs.

International Organizations

International Labour Organization (ILO). This page provides information on Canada's ratifications of ILO Conventions with links through to the text of the relevant conventions.

UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises. See the Working Group's reports.

UN Human Rights Council, Open-ended intergovernmental working group to elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises..

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights. In 2018, the IACHR Special Rapporteurship on ESCER is preparing a report on "Business and Human rights: Inter-American Standards." See more information at the University of Ottawa webpage on "Business and Human Rights in Latin America."

Corporate Accountability: Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Amnesty International: Corporate Accountability

Business and Human Rights Resource Centre

Danish Institute for Human Rights. DIHR's portal on Business and Human Rights

Finnwatch. Finnwatch has its focus on global corporate responsibility and promotes environmentally socially and economically responsible business.

Global Witness"exposes the hidden links between demand for natural resources, corruption, armed conflict and environmental destruction."

Human Rights Watch (HRW): Business.

Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB)

International Alert: The Business of Peace. IA's Business of Peace project works in the Caucasus region and Turkey.

Global Business and Human Rights Scholars Association. This association is open to all scholars worldwide working in the field of business and human rights. See the Association's bibliography (pdf).

Shift. Shift is a non-profit organization funded primarily by governments to conduct advisory work for government departments, education for businesses and other projects with international partners. See Shift's resource library.

Worldwide Movement for Human Rights (FIDH): Business and Human Rights.

Corporate Accountability: NGOs in Canada

Coop�ration Canada, Ottawa, Canada. Coop�ration Canada is actively engaged with the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA). See CNCA entry on this page.

Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA), Ottawa, Canada.

Centre for International Environmental Law: Climate & Energy Program (C&E)

Council of Canadians

LeadNow: People Powered Change

Mining Watch Canada

Oxfam: Behind the Brands