Business and Human Rights: The role of the NBI

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Business and Human Rights The role of the NBI
Achieng Ojwang ojwang.achieng_at_nbi.org.za
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Introduction

• The NBI
• Established in 1995, the NBI is a membership
  organization of over 140 national
  multi-national companies
• We advocate sustainable business practices and
  the collective role of business in addressing
  national and global development challenges
• The NBI works through partnerships, practical
  programmes policy engagements.

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Areas of Work
Areas of work include climate change and energy,
education and skills and enterprise business
linkages In addition, the NBI is the secretariat
for JIPSA (the Joint Initiative of Priority
Skills Acquisition) for economic growth
We are the regional partner for
WBCSD- World Business Council for Sustainable
Development NBI is also South Africas focal
point for United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
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NBI Human Rights

• As a focal point for the UNGC, the NBI assists
  companies with ideas, information and tools to
  mainstream UNGC principles into their business
  operations.
• The first two principles of the UNGC are human
  rights principles and states
• Business should support and respect human rights
• Not be complicit in human rights abuses

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Business and human rights?

• Business commits to support and respect human
  rights.
• Under the universal declaration of human rights
• The Ruggie report April 2008 (SRSG on Human
  Rights) unpacks and simplifies the case for
  business

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The UNGC principles

• Human Rights support and protect not be
  complicit
• Labour freedom of association, no forced labour,
  no child labour, non-discrimination
• Environment- precautionary approach promote
  environmental responsibility
• Anticorruption- business to work against
  anticorruption

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Mainstreaming human rights

• We encourage business to include human rights
  principles into their core business practices
• In strategy- what is existing, risks
  opportunities
• In policies- identify and then develop policies
  as appropriate
• In processes procedures- includes control
  systems
• In communications- internal and external
• Training-identifying target groups for HR
  training
• Measure impact and audit- Performance indicators
• Reporting- develop a reporting format

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The state of business and HR in SA

• SA business is progressive on CSR and human
  rights
• But there is need for a framework that anchors it
  within the global plan as part of our practice
• How do we measure our performance?

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Why business should support respect human
rights

• Besides being the ethical and moral thing to do,
  a company with a good human rights programme
  attracts greater confidence from stakeholders and
  shareholders
• A good HR record
• Elevates a companys brand and reputation
• Enhances business performance as risks are
  lowered
• Increases productivity of employees and their
  retention
• Helps to identify new opportunities for business
• Ensures more sustainable relationships with govn,
  partners, unions, customers, suppliers e.t.c.

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Challenges for SA business

• Complex supply chains
• Beyond the borders challenges in performance and
  public reporting, especially in countries with
  weak regulatory frameworks.
• Uneven response locally to global trends on human
  rights. Need for collective strategies to create
  a level-playing field for business.
• In SA, there are also weaknesses around land
  management and security arrangements

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Our Members
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Our Members