Business and Human Rights
States are obligated under international human rights law to protect against human rights abuse within their territory and/or jurisdiction by third parties, including business enterprises. Even if States do not fulfill their obligations, all business enterprises are expected to respect human rights, meaning they should avoid infringing on the human rights of others and address adverse human rights impacts with which they are involved.
If abuses occur, victims must have access to effective remedy through judicial and non-judicial grievance mechanisms.
UN Human Rights leads the business and human rights agenda within the UN system. The Office develops guidance and training relating to the dissemination and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights for States, business, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders.
Our work on Business and Human Rights
UN Human Rights Europe works to mainstream international human rights standards in regulatory frameworks aimed at promoting sustainable and responsible business practices across the EU single market.
The Office also supports the engagement of UN human rights mechanisms with European institutions.
Our work in this area focuses on the following priorities:
- Mainstreaming international human rights standards into EU regulatory frameworks
- Supporting the engagement of UN human rights mechanisms with European institutions
