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Recommended Tools and Guidance Materials

A one page slide demonstrating how some of these tools could be used is available here.

General guidance

Human Rights Translated: A Business Reference Guide - A joint publication of the UN Global Compact Office, Castan Center for Human Rights Law, IBLF and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, December 2008. (Navigating the Human Rights Translated)
This publication provides companies with a comprehensive explanation of the entire range of human rights contained in the two key International Covenants. It includes illustrations of how these rights relate to business practices through the use of examples and suggested practical actions.

A Human Rights Management Framework - A joint publication of the UN Global Compact Office, BLIHR, IBLF and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , July 2007.
(Arab) (Chinese) (English) (French) (Russian) (Spanish)
This poster captures on one page key good business and human rights management practices that were elaborated in more detail in A Guide for Integrating Human Rights Into Business Management (see below), as well as in the IBLF's publication 'Human Rights: It Is Your Business'. The poster is available in all UN languages.

Guide for Integrating Human Rights into Business Management - A joint publication of BLIHR, UN Global Compact Office and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , May 2006.
This publication – prepared by business for business – offers practical guidance on how to implement human rights within business practice. It is based on the accumulated experience of the ten companies in the BLIHR (ABB, Barclays, Gap, Hewlett-Packard, MTV Networks Europe, National Grid, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Statoil and The Body Shop International). This experience is supplemented with practical examples of human rights implementation from other companies including BP, Carrefour, Cemex, Codelco, Copel, Eskom, Li & Fung (Trading), MAS Holdings, Shell, Taj Hotels, Tata Enterprises, Telefonica and Valeo. The final publication also benefited substantially from a wide range of thoughtful feedback provided on a consultation draft.

Embedding Human Rights in Business Practice II- A joint publication of the UN Global Compact Office and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , January 2008.
The latest edition of this business and human rights case studies series details ways in which twenty companies from different regions and sectors worldwide are endeavouring to incorporate human rights into their management practices.

Embedding Human Rights in Business Practice - A joint publication of the UN Global Compact Office and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , December 2004.
This publication offers a thorough analysis of the human rights principles from the perspective of the UN, business, academia and civil society. Its main focus is the practical meaning of the principles for companies, presenting four detailed case studies and a policy report on business practice in different industries. The main conclusion drawn from these cases is that proactive efforts to address human rights concerns better equipped businesses to manage risks and helps secure and maintain their license to operate.

The Global Compact and Human Rights: Understanding Sphere of Influence and Complicity - an OHCHR Briefing Paper , December 2004.
This briefing paper provides a broad overview of the current understanding of what “sphere of influence” and “complicity” mean in the context of the Global Compact’s human rights principles.

Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights Matrix
The matrix provides an approach for mapping and assessing the connection between business and human rights - including which human rights are relevant for business and what is regarded as 'essential', 'expected' or 'desirable' behaviour.

IBLF, Human Rights: Is it any of your Business
This publication - aimed at company managers - offers a comprehensive and practical introduction to business and human rights and addresses the human rights issues and dilemmas that affect companies across their operations.

IBLF, Human Rights: It is your Business
This paper summarizes societal expectations of business with respect to human rights and describes evolving good practice on how the corporate response can be managed effectively and efficiently.

Raising the Bar: Creating Value with the United Nations Global Compact , June 2004.
This publication lays out a performance model clearly grounded on the total quality management approach to assist businesses in putting the Global Compact into practice. Raising the Bar collects together and categorizes a wealth of corporate responsibility tools, good practice and case studies in a structure familiar to anyone aware of business excellence models and demonstrates that values create value—leadership commitment to the Global Compact can impact the boardroom and the shop floor, public image and the balance sheet.

Your Guide to the Global Compact - A Resource Package (CD Rom), July 2006.
This third edition of the Global Compact Resource Package is a comprehensive introduction to the Global Compact and is meant to serve as an awareness-raising tool for the Global Compact and its underlying principles. It can be used by all that seek background information on the Global Compact and guidance on the integration of the ten principles in their daily operations. The resource package includes modules and case studies for each of the Global Compact’s four main issue areas – Human Rights, Labour, the Environment, and Anti-Corruption as well as the Global Compact Performance Model, which serves as a road-map to accompany the Principles. At the end of each section is a separate resource directory with additional information on the Global Compact and the subject of corporate citizenship. To order a copy of the CD-Rom please send an email to globalcompact@un.org

Human rights policies

Human rights training

Amnesty International - Pure Business
“Pure Business” is a three part e-learning tool developed by Amnesty International in the Netherlands. Its primary purpose is to help users understand human rights in the context of business operations. The first part of the e-learning tool details the relationship that exists between business and human rights. Part two outlines a human rights framework for business operations. The third part encourages business to implement clearly defined internal policies and practices in relation to human rights. [Free registration required]

Human rights risk assessment

Human rights impact assessment

A Guide to Human Rights Impact Assessment - a joint publication of the IBLF, IFC and UN Global Compact Office June 2007     (FAQs - English/ French/ Spanish) ( Executive Overview ) 
Second Phase: " Integration Process "  integrating human rights issues into companies' existing environmental and social impact assessments, November 2008 (Announcement)
This Guide provides a toolkit that business managers can use to identify, assess and implement responses to human rights challenges in new or evolving business projects. It is a practical tool to bring human rights impact assessment into core business planning and management processes. The Guide provides an eight-step process, namely:

• Step 1: Determine whether a full Human Rights Impact Assessment and Management Process
• Step 2: Identify and clarify the business project context
• Step 3: Set the baseline: articulate the current local picture and conditions
• Step 4: Consult with stakeholders to verify the human rights challenges
• Step 5: Assess the human rights impacts and consequences
• Step 6: Present the assessment findings and recommendations to management
• Step 7: Implement a human rights management process
• Step 8: Monitor, Evaluate and report on the management process

This Guide can be used in three ways, namely as a risk management tool, an engagement tool and as a decision-making tool. The Guide is a work in progress and is to be tested over the next two years to ensure that it is practical and user-friendly by various companies. The experience gained from the road-testing will be used to further refine the guide. It is planned to have the revised version available in both print and electronic by early 2010. Feedback on the Guide is welcome and should be directed to Desiree Abrahams (desiree.abrahams@iblf.org).

The Danish Institute for Human Rights, Human Rights Compliance Assessment Tool  ( Chinese ) ( Danish ) ( Dutch ) ( English )  ( Spanish )  ( Ukrainian )  ( Best Practice )
The Human Rights Compliance Assessment is a diagnostic tool designed to promote corporate social responsibility by providing companies with useful information about how to avoid human rights violations in all aspects of their operations. It is a practical tool which has been mapped against the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and can assist companies with GRI and Global Compact reporting. The HRCA 'Quick Check' comprises approximately 10% of all the questions contained in the entire HRCA database and relates to some of the most essential human rights issues a company must consider in relation to its activities.

Other human rights impact assessment tools
Information about other tools for conducting human rights impact assessments can be accessed at the website of the Human Rights Impact Assessment Resource Centre.

Sources of business and human rights information

Human rights and security

Stakeholder engagement

Human rights reporting

• Global Compact Communication on Progress
• Global Reporting Initiative, Human Rights Indicators
• OHCHR Manual on Human Rights Reporting
• CSR Europe and BSR, Measuring and Reporting on Corporate Performance on Human Rights 2001
  This joint publication by CSR Europe and Business for Social Responsibility describes efforts to develop ways of measuring companies' performances on human rights. The report sets out why such measurements are important and raises questions concerning the difficulties of quantifying progress.

Grievance mechanisms

Rights-compatible grievance mechanisms: A guidance tool for companies and their stakeholders

This guidance, developed by the Kennedy School at Harvard University, helps companies to introduce or strengthen existing grievance mechanisms to make them more effective so that the opportunities to achieve sustainable solutions to disputes are realized. A rights-compatible mechanism integrates human rights norms and standards into its processes and is based on principles of non-discrimination, equity, accountability, empowerment and participation. It can deal with most kinds of grievances (except those raising criminal liability), including – but not limited to – those that reflect substantive human and labour rights concerns. Ensuring the mechanism is rights-compatible in both its process and outcomes enhances its credibility and legitimacy, both locally and internationally, as well as its potential success in practice.

Legal accountability

The UN Global Compact is a voluntary initiative that has as its minimum expectation compliance with all applicable law. Global Compact participants usually strive to do more than comply with the law. However, many businesses may be interested to learn from information about lawsuits involving human rights issues that have been brought against companies around the world. The following portal maintained by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre seeks to bring together in one place and demystify lawsuits alleging human rights abuse by companies from across the world . It uses non-legal language and includes expert commentary: www.business-humanrights.org/LegalPortal.

(Last updated on 11 December 2008)

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