Book of rules
Human rights are the basic rights of each human being, independent of race, sex, religion, political opinion, social status, or any other characteristic. Through international human rights conventions, countries and governments commit to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of their citizens and other individuals within and beyond their borders. A list of the human rights is contained in the Universal Declaration, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Businesses should also be aware of the core conventions of the International Labour Organisation.
At this moment, there are number of reasons why businesses should involve human rights in their policies and practices. Businesses increasingly need a stable international environment in which to operate, with sustainable markets and a “level playing field” of opportunities. Human rights offer a common framework for businesses to understand societies’ expectations and deliver value to stakeholders in a more sustainable way. This Book of Rules developed under this project, demonstrates that, in a business context, advancing human rights is as much about realizing new opportunities and managing risk as it is about meeting essential global standards.
