How to do business with human rights

When doing business, tension between economic motives and the protection of human rights is often prevalent. Examples are abundant (view, for instance, the documentary Yahoo, in China), and can be found in different parts of the world, involving a wide range of businesses. Dutch companies are no exception to this. In 1995, the Nigerian activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was hung by authorities for heavily criticising the involvement of Royal Dutch Shell in his country (involvement from which the government heavily benefited), to name just one illustration.

Another oft-mentioned example is the issue of child labour, a phenomenon present in many parts of the world.

The seemingly contradictory aims of making profit and protecting human rights are addressed by several institutions, including the United Nations who have appointed a Special Representative on Businesses and Human Rights. Attempts to harmonise the two goals are expressed through Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, stimulating corporations to take into account the side-effects of their business and to use (a part of) their profit to improve their environment (locally, nationally or globally).
Although it sounds philanthropically, what, realistically, is the impact of CSR on ensuring economic motives do not overplay the importance of human rights protection? Furthermore, what impact does the ‘global economic crisis' have on the incorporation of human rights protection into business policy?

Speaker: Mauricio Lazala

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