This book considers the legal control of multinational corporations (MNCs) for violations of human rights from a developing country’s perspective, examining the role for corporate social responsibility (CSR) in regulating the conduct of MNCs. The book uses the case study of Nigeria which is host to major MNCs from the EU and the US, to show that the CSR concept is currently insufficient to deal with externalities emanating from MNCs‘ operations including human rights violations. The book goes on to argue that whilst control of MNCs involves regulation at the international level, more emphasis needs to be placed on possibilities at home States and host States where there are stronger bases for the control of corporations. It examines possibilities in the European Union, exploring ways in which the EU can ensure that MNCs from its territory do not violate human rights when operating abroad.

Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rights and the Law examines the responsibilities of business enterprises for human rights from a legal perspective. It analyses the legal status of the ‘corporate responsibility to respect human rights’ as articulated by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). This concept currently reflects an international consensus and is promoted by the UN. The book contemplates the various founding perspectives of the UNGPs, and how the integration of notions such as ‘principled pragmatism’ and ‘polycentric governance’ within its framework provides insights into the future course of law and policy, compliance, and corporate respect for human rights. The book thus takes a global focus, examining the interaction of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), human rights, and the law in a broader global governance context. Setting out a possible future scenario for the legalization of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights that is informed by the UNGPs' founding perspectives and reflects current realities in the human rights landscape, this book will be of great interest to scholars of business ethics, international human rights law, and CSR more broadly.

This book investigates how human rights law can be applied to corporate entities. To date there have been insufficient international legal mechanisms to bring corporations to justice for their misconduct abroad. The book argues that rather than trying to solve the problem locally, an international approach to corporate human rights compliance needs to be sought to prevent future corporate human rights abuses. Implementing effective and enforceable human rights compliance policies at corporate level allows businesses to prevent negative human rights impacts such as loss of revenue, high litigation costs and damage to reputation. By considering human rights to be an inherent part of their business strategy, corporations will be well equipped to meet national and regional business and human rights standards, which will inevitably be implemented in the next few years. This approach, in turn, also furthers the fundamental aim of international human rights law.

Amidst the significant societal changes defining our time, the interplay between human rights, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility has become a global concern. These crucial elements have become a focal point in global discussions, demanding in-depth exploration. Issues such as the impact of business decisions on human rights, the rights of marginalized communities, and the formulation of policies for sustainability and social well-being underscore the urgency of understanding this intricate relationship. It is within this context that Bridging Human Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility: Pathways to a Sustainable Global Society is a vital resource. This book, drawing insights from law, social sciences, economics, and environmental studies, delves into the heart of these challenges, offering a comprehensive analysis that addresses the ethical and sustainable dimensions of our rapidly changing global landscape. To undertake a profound examination of the complex interplay between human rights, sustainability, and social responsibility, the book proposes an interdisciplinary methodology that incorporates insights from various academic disciplines, including law, social sciences, economics, and environmental studies. It seeks to shed light on the essential role of human rights in supporting sustainable development and socially responsible behavior in societies undergoing rapid change. This study includes an in-depth examination of the rights of marginalized communities, an analysis of the impact of business on the preservation or violation of human rights, and an exploration of policy and legal frameworks that can simultaneously promote sustainability and enhance social well-being. The overarching goal is to provide a comprehensive framework for academics and experts in human rights, environmental science, public policy, and corporate social responsibility, making a significant contribution to the integration of diverse academic disciplines and fostering interdisciplinary inquiry and collaboration.

Offering a comprehensive analysis of the human right to development and its realistic application in an era of economic globalization, Daniel Aguirre provides a multidisciplinary overview of economic globalization and examines its challenges to the realization of human development. He takes this further by engaging with these challenges and highlighting the human rights opportunities presented by economic globalization and the international investment system. The volume proposes a triadic system of responsibility for human rights in development, to include mapping the overlapping human rights responsibilities of corporations at the micro-level, of states at the macro-level and of the international community at the meso-level. The scope of the book is broad and the approach to the subject is new. It will generate interest across many disciplines including political science, international law and economics. Activists, academics and development practitioners in many fields should also read this book.

In a dramatic departure from its voluntary origins, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is rapidly shifting to hold multinational companies accountable for more than traditional shareholder performance. This CSR movement is embracing new environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks that both promote global sustainability goals and enhance accountability for negative impacts businesses can have on ‘planet and people’. This collection of essays by leading businesspeople, international civil servants, legal practitioners, academics, and other experts offers a forward-looking and pragmatic perspective that illuminates the major themes in this movement towards increasingly sustainable, transparent and accountable business practices. The collection shows how CSR has evolved to account for societal pressures, environmental, climate change and human rights impacts, international policy imperatives and the practical challenges of regulating commercial activity that transcends borders. The chapters offer an in-depth examination of current issues including: international frameworks and multistakeholder initiatives catalysing foundational change; the shifting emphasis on corporate imperatives to avoid harm to third parties; trends in CSR, focused on assuring the planet's future sustainability and social stability; regulatory initiatives around the globe, including Europe, North America, Asia and Africa; and extended accountability for activities of corporate group members and supply chains. The pressure and business case for companies to incorporate CSR into corporate governance is intensifying with each quarter, shareholder meeting, and regulatory agenda. The integration of CSR and new ESG frameworks into multinational corporate strategy and operations is key to sustainable business models that can generate long-term value for the organization and all stakeholders. Their acceptance as cornerstones of 21st century business practice appears inevitable. Taking full account of the imperative for companies and their lawyers to grapple with the practical and legal challenges in this area, this volume is an invaluable and pragmatic addition to the practitioners’ toolbox at this important juncture in an ever-more dynamic field.

This book addresses one of the core challenges in the corporate social responsibility (or business and human rights) debate: how to ensure adequate access to remedy for victims of corporate abuses that infringe upon their human rights. However, ensuring access to remedy depends on a series of normative and judicial elements that become highly complex when disputes are transnational. In such cases, courts need to consider and apply different laws that relate to company governance, to determine the competent forum, to define which bodies of law to apply, and to ensure the adequate execution of judgments. The book also discusses how alternative methods of dispute settlement can relate to this topic, and the important role that private international law plays in access to remedy for corporate-related human rights abuses. This collection comprises 20 national reports from jurisdictions in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia, addressing the private international law aspects of corporate social responsibility. They provide an overview of the legal differences between geographical areas, and offer numerous examples of how states and their courts have resolved disputes involving private international law elements. The book draws two preliminary conclusions: that there is a need for a better understanding of the role that private international law plays in cases involving transnational elements, in order to better design transnational solutions to the issues posed by economic globalisation; and that the treaty negotiations on business and human rights in the United Nations could offer a forum to clarify and unify several of the elements that underpin transnational disputes involving corporate human rights abuses, which could also help to identify and bridge the existing gaps that limit effective access to remedy. Adopting a comparative approach, this book appeals to academics, lawyers, judges and legislators concerned with the issue of access to remedy and reparation for corporate abuses under the prism of private international law.

This introductory textbook explores the key issues in global business in corporate social responsibility.

This book addresses the ever more urgent question as to whether individuals, indigenous peoples or other vulnerable groups should be entitled to remedies under international law for violations of their human rights by transnational corporations. Using the tools of policy-oriented jurisprudence, the author analyzes, in great historical and cross-cultural detail, the various claims involved, including the status of corporations and their purpose and growth beyond borders in the era of globalization; countervailing demands for respect and rights of individuals and groups; the changing role of the nation-state in international law; movements for corporate social responsibility and corporate accountability; trends in decision both domestically and internationally; as well as voluntary codes. Her appraisal of past decisions and suggestions leads her to conclude that only binding international legal remedies against transnational corporations can fully address the legitimate claims of individuals or groups.

Soft law increasingly shapes and impacts the content of international law in multiple ways, from being a first step in a norm-making process to providing detailed rules and technical standards required for the interpretation and the implementation of treaties. This is especially true in the area of human rights. While relatively few human rights treaties have been adopted at the UN level in the last two decades, the number of declarations, resolutions, conclusions, and principles has grown significantly. In some areas, soft law has come to fill a void in the absence of treaty law, exerting a degree of normative force exceeding its non-binding character. In others areas, soft law has become a battleground for interpretative struggles to expand and limit human rights protection in the context of existing regimes. Despite these developments, little attention has been paid to soft law within human rights legal scholarship. Building on a thorough analysis of relevant case studies, this volume systematically explores the roles of soft law in both established and emerging human rights regimes. The book argues that a better understanding of how soft law shapes and affects different branches of international human rights law not only provides a more dynamic picture of the current state of international human rights, but also helps to unsettle and critically question certain political and doctrinal beliefs. Following introductory chapters that lay out the general conceptual framework, the book is divided in two parts. The first part focuses on cases that examine the role of soft law within human rights regimes where there are established hard law standards, its progressive and regressive effects, and the role that different actors play in the incubation process. The second part focuses on the role of soft law in emerging areas of international law where there is no substantial treaty codification of norms. These chapters examine the relationship between soft and hard law, the role of different actors in formulating new soft law, and the potential for eventual codification.