Browse by Theme: Private Sector

Human rights remains a topic that companies may reference perfunctorily in their codes of conduct, but few really seem to understand. In their defence, this is in part because, first, best practice standards on business and human rights are often nascent at best, and, second, human rights tend to be expressed in a nearly impenetrable mass of legalistic jargon.

In the interest of bridging some of the gaps between business, development and human rights terminologies, I’ve identified the three most common misconceptions about human rights and business.

This week American stakeholders announced the formation of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety and signatories to the European Fire and Building Safety Accord released their Implementation Plan. While both agreements represent steps in the right direction, to address the root causes of the Rana Plaza disaster, both initiatives must take further measures to build capacity and political will in the Government of Bangladesh.

Value Chains, Business Plans and International Markets. What do these terms mean for some of the poorest people living in the isolated farming region of Sopachuy in Bolivia?

Quite a lot, it turns out: “Access to bigger markets means increased income and stable employment which will help to pull hundreds of farming families out of poverty in this region” explains Isabel, CARE Bolivia’s Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor on the drive through the beautiful undulating hills of the Chuquisaca region, home to some of these very poor people.

To many people, charities and huge multi-national companies will always be strange bedfellows. As such, there can be a gossipy appetite to hear of a mighty culture clash when the two worlds come together in partnership – the sandal wearing NGO worker bewildered by their suited counterparts in the shadows of Canary Wharf.

The truth is much less riveting. Earlier this week, I sat alongside fellow panellists from Barclays, Plan, and DFID at an event entitled ‘Out of poverty and into profit’ in which we asked whether new development partnerships were a force for good?’