Business and Human Rights Ian Thomson KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

KAIROS Ecumenical: 11 Canadian churches and church agencies Corporate Social Responsibility Program Corporate accountability Responsible investment

Engineers and Corporate Responsibility Guyana, Water and the Omai Gold Mine

Business and Human Rights What impact do the company’s activities have on human rights? What are the company’s responsibilities regarding human rights?

Impacts Some Examples: Security and Human Rights (Oil & Gas sector) Labour Rights (Retailing sector) Indigenous Rights (Mining sector)

International Standards Universal Declaration of Human Rights UN Human Rights Conventions International Labour Organization Conventions UN Norms on Business and Human Rights (draft)

Voluntary Measures Internationally: UN Global Compact OECD Guidelines for Multinational Entreprises Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights

Canadian MPs call for change In June 2005: Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (SCFAIT) All-party report on Mining and Corporate Social Responsibility 10 recommendations for policy change in Canada

Voluntary measures alone are not working

SCFAIT Recommendations Establish legal norms to hold Cdn companies accountable for human rights and environmental violations abroad Provide CSR tools and services to Cdn companies operating abroad Increase the governance capacity of host countries

SCFAIT Recommendations (cont’d) Develop mechanisms to monitor activities of Cdn companies abroad and resolve complaints Condition Cdn government support for companies on human rights and environmental compliance

SCFAIT Recommendations (cont’d) Integrate human rights standards into World Bank private sector financing

Agenda for change In October 2005: Government ignores most of the recommendations However, SCFAIT has established an agenda for change

Agenda for change In spring 2006: Government will host 5 roundtables across Canada on mining and corporate responsibility