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(New York, December 10, 2008) – Today, the United Nations Global Compact and Maplecroft have initiated a research and solutions forum project on “Human Rights Dilemmas for Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) in Emerging Markets”. The project, funded by a three-year grant by the GE Foundation to the Foundation for the Global Compact, aims to enhance understanding of human rights dilemmas for responsible business, thereby contributing to global thought leadership and best practice, especially in emerging markets.
The report will include extensively researched, in-depth case studies of human rights dilemmas, considered from the perspective of different stakeholders, as well as a set of practical solutions to these dilemmas from different stakeholder viewpoints.
The initiative will feature an online forum to discuss case studies and contribute practical solutions to human rights dilemmas faced by business, as well as the following activities designed to facilitate multi-stakeholder consultation:
The solutions forum will be launched on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 2008, with a project introduction and invitation to participate. Dilemmas, associated case studies and potential solutions will be progressively added until the end of December 2009.
The final report will incorporate selected findings from the solutions forum, as well as additional stakeholder engagement and primary in-field research, in order to provide practical solutions to each dilemma. It will help foster a greater awareness of human rights dilemmas and improve the relationship between business and its stakeholders. In particular, these stakeholders include employees and local communities in emerging economies as well as civil society organizations and local business.
Results of all work will be shared at relevant UN Global Compact and other events throughout the 2008 calendar year, with a draft summary report being available for the 2009 anniversary of Human Rights Day. The intended audience for the final report, due in December 2010, is MNCs. The report will be available to all in the public domain, including international organizations, non-governmental organizations, academics, and the general population.
“Businesses all over the world need practical solutions to the dilemmas that arise in the
context of their efforts to respect and support human rights”, said Georg Kell, Executive Director
of the UN Global Compact. “We are delighted to be involved in this project, which will make an
important contribution to further advance this critical issue. The inclusive approach and emphasis
on broad participation are of particular importance to us”.
“This project on human rights dilemmas for responsible business will build on previous work in this field including Maplecroft’s human rights risk country analyses”, said Professor Alyson Warhurst, Founding Director, Maplecroft. “In particular, the solutions forum will promote an advanced, technology-driven, learning dialogue which will facilitate innovative engagement with a range of stakeholders. Our aim is to enhance learning in the field of business and human rights and to contribute towards principles for resolving many of the human rights dilemmas that responsible businesses face when working in countries where human rights risks are high”.
“GE is a signatory to the Global Compact and we are pleased to support this important contribution in the field of business and human rights”, said Bob Corcoran, president of the GE Foundation and vice president of corporate citizenship for GE. “The results of this research and case studies will enlighten stakeholders worldwide and further facilitate important dialogues on human rights in emerging markets”.
