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In This Issue
Editor's Note
Corporate Complicity in Human Rights
Human Rights Day, which took place just a few days ago, gives us an opportunity to reflect on the continuing challenges for business and human rights. Chief among these is the issue of “corporate complicity” in human rights violations. Companies are expected to avoid direct violations of human rights, but they are also expected to avoid complicity in violations committed by others.
This week, BSR’s Human Rights Director Faris Natour and Advisory Services Associate Peter Nestor explore what “complicity” means in the legal context, what it means in the court of public opinion, and what companies can do to help mitigate the risk of complicity.
We also share tips on how to work with your suppliers on their sustainability initiatives—by giving suppliers a chance to integrate their own governance structures, systems, and strategies into the process.
And BSR’s Climate and Energy Manager Ryan Schuchard provides resources and highlights from COP17, and tells us what we can look forward to during next year's climate talks in Qatar.
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In Depth
Bad Bedfellows: Avoiding Complicity in Human Rights Violations
By Faris Natour, Director, Human Rights, BSR; Peter Nestor, Manager, Advisory Services, BSR
The issue of corporate complicity in human rights violations is complex, but companies can take four concrete steps to help minimize their legal risk and meet societal expectations.
Read more →
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Spotlight
Helping Your Suppliers Improve Their Sustainability Efforts
To increase the reach of sustainability efforts, companies are using sophisticated questionnaires, scorecards, and indices as tools for supplier engagement. However, companies often superimpose their own sustainability goals on suppliers without considering how these tools could enable stronger governance structures, systems, and strategies for suppliers.
Based on our work with a global apparel manufacturer on its sustainability strategy, we’ve developed the following recommendations to help companies ensure that the tools they use to evaluate suppliers and incentivize performance improvements support company goals as well as suppliers’ business priorities:
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Integrate sustainability issues into scorecards, and give these issues the same weight as cost, delivery, and quality.
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Encourage metrics that demonstrate business benefits—such as market growth and cost reductions—rather than solely measuring success based on meeting customer-reporting requirements.
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Incentivize transparent communication by not punishing early detection and proactive avoidance of problems.
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Support flexible evaluation frameworks that allow suppliers to develop their own unique programs rooted in employee and community needs.
Toolbox
COP17 Results and Related Resources
By Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR
Over the weekend, negotiators attending the UN Climate talks in Durban, South Africa, agreed on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, which, for the first time, brings developed and developing countries together under the same framework to reduce emissions. More specifically, the agreement outlines a new commitment period to start by 2020, extends the Kyoto Protocol for a limited time to keep climate commitments by the EU and other developed countries active, and directs the Green Climate Fund to disburse US$100 billion per year to help developing countries adapt to climate change and promote clean energy.
Next year’s meeting in Qatar will focus on clarifying details of the fund and the emissions-reduction framework, the latter of which will be finalized by 2015.
Some key related resources for business include:
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