Which companies are committed to human rights?August 22nd 2008A growing number of major companies – including Anglo American, BP, Codelco, GE, HSBC and Mitsubishi – have made a public commitment to human rights as part of their corporate responsibility initiatives. Over half of the UK’s FTSE 100 companies have done so. But the vast majority of companies around the world have not taken this important first step towards ensuring that their operations respect human rights. Realizing Rights and the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre are joining together to encourage more companies to adopt human rights policies, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights during 2008. Over the coming months, Mary Robinson will be writing to the CEOs of major companies asking whether their firms have a human rights policy statement and encouraging them to adopt one if they do not. Company human rights policy statements will be added to the running list on the Resource Centre website. All Fortune Global 500 companies that do not yet feature on the list will be contacted, along with other leading companies from every region. In the days leading up to 10 December 2008, the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Realizing Rights and the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre will draw international attention to the companies that have taken this important step. As Mary Robinson says in her
For more information please contact:
Annabel Short, Head of Programme and UN Representative, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre short@business-humanrights.org – New York tel/fax: +1 212 564 9160 Any company with a human rights policy statement wishing to be added to the list should notify Annabel Short at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: short@business-humanrights.org. Related Reading:
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