Human rights: companies make the difference
- Sustainability
To what extent are companies responsible for human rights? That was the central topic on 3 December during ABN AMRO’s first human rights conference, one week prior to international Human Rights Day. Multiple speakers including Boris Dittrich of Human Rights Watch and Shift’s David Vermijs addressed ABN AMRO employees and special guests from other banks, companies, NGOs, the government and clients about what may and should be expected of companies in terms of human rights. Caroline Princen, member of the Managing Board, and a panel of ABN AMRO managers discussed the bank’s current activities in this area and what its plans are.
International guidelines
In 2011, the United Nationspresented the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: guidelines that explain what is expected from companies in terms of human rights. Boris Dittrich considers this to be a positive development. “In countries where our reports are ignored, things do change when a company is critical about the human rights situation.” David Vermijs of Shift remarks that society expects companies to take responsibility in making sure human rights are respected in their activities and their value chains.
This non-profit organisationsupports companies, governments, international organisations and their stakeholders in implementing the UN Guiding Principles in practice. “If a company does not take responsibility for its impact on human rights, it risks damaging its reputation and there may be legal consequences.”
We are facing complex challenges
ABN AMRO takes its responsibilityseriously, Caroline Princen, member of the Managing Board, explains. At the same time, she admits that complex challenges can arise in practice. Human rights violations can be committed not only by clients, but also by their suppliers, or the country in which they are active. That’s why it’s important to know exactly what’s going on in a sector and to have a policy in place that clarifies questions like: What is our responsibility in this situation? What can we do to promote respect for human rights? And if that isn’t successful, under what circumstances do we decide to maintain or end a business relationship? “As contradictory as it seems, there are cases where it’s better to deviate from our declaration on human rights.”
Andius Teijgeler, Director of Communications & Sustainability, uses an example of an existing client who wanted to use cotton from Uzbekistan. “We are aware child labour occurs thereand our first response was to withdraw funding. But if we leave, a bank that is less concerned with human rights may take our place. So we stay while keeping a close eye on the situation. If there is no improvement despite reasonable efforts on our part, there may be only one option: quit.”
Be aware of what’s going on
In the coming years, ABN AMROis participating in Shift’s Business Learning Programme. “This programme works closely with companies that want to engage seriously with human rights and are the first to admit they still have a long way to go. Because of ABN AMRO’s diligent efforts in recent years and even before that, we are thrilled the bank has joined our programme to work collectively to improve human rights,” David Vermijs says.
Head of agri commodities ECT Suzanne Larsson-Nivard adds: “Together with Shift, ABN AMRO maps the chains we’re involved with. For example in the cocoa industry, where forced labour and child labour are prevalent. You can only start the conversation with the partiesinvolved once you’re aware of what’s going on.”
Getting to work
A company can make a statementthrough relatively simple measures, Boris Dittrich says: “Like Apple CEO Tim Cook coming out as gay. And Google offering up their office space to human rights groups. Your company doesn’t need to become an activist to make a difference.”