Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights

On June 16, 2011 the Human Rights Council of the United Nations endorsed a "new set of global guiding principles for business designed to ensure that companies do not violate human rights in the course of the their transactions and that they provide redress when infringements occur." These new guidelines are intended to be an authoritative reference for corporations, governments and NGOs working to promote corporate responsibility and economic development. The guidelines were met with approval by the Holy See's mission to the UN. Archbishop Tomasi explained that:

Regrettably, TNCs [Trans-National Corporations] have failed to measure up to this standard on numerous occasions, have violated established rules and regulations, and thus have caused exceptional damage. Evidence of such failures can be found in the manufacturing sector when workers have been deprived of a living wage, when safety and security measures have not been observed, and especially when forced or child labor has been tolerated. The extractives and energy sectors, for example, remain particularly susceptible to a corporate culture that operates without sufficient regard for the rights of indigenous and local communities and deprives these same communities of safe water, food and livelihoods. In other instances, in order to circumvent social and environmental laws, some TNCs have resorted to the practice of sub-contracting without adequately monitoring the policies and practices of their business partners. In countries, where governments lack the resources to monitor these companies, it must be recognized and enforced that the principal contractor carries responsibility for assuring that subcontracting partners observe and respect such rules.

While, some advocacy groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have voiced important criticisms of the Guiding Principles, suggesting that the standards for government and business are not adequate, even these organizations most likely will endorse the Guiding Principles, while advocating at the UN level for more stringent standards.