The Rights Factory have made various contributions to the ongoing process of design of the Spanish Government’s National Plan on Business and Human Rights, coordinated by the Human Rights Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. In addition to our written contributions to the different draft versions, we also took part in a work session in Madrid (Spain) in June 2013.

CHALLENGE:

Consumers, employees, non-governmental organizations, political parties, public and private investors, stock market sustainability indicators and other institutions and social stakeholders are demanding ever more loudly that business must build its legitimacy, identity and responsibility on the basis of respect for international human rights standards, above all with regard to its overseas activities. The responsibility to operate with human rights due diligence is a global standard of expected conduct for all business enterprises wherever they operate. With this Plan the Spanish Government seeks to implement the commitments acquired by Spain at the United Nations, the European Union and internally. The Plan follows the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

ACTION:

We at The Rights Factory are contributing our expertise and knowledge of Business and Human Rights to the drafting of Strategic Plans on this question. To this end, we took part in a meeting held in Madrid together with various representatives of civil society, business, the research community and government to share our visions and make observations with a critical, constructive spirit aimed at improving our joint expertise.

BENEFITS: