The Reality of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

In June 2011 when the United Nations Human Rights Council (‘the Council’) adopted Resolution 17/4,1 it acknowledged the formal end of the successful mandate of John Ruggie as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises. The Council was glowing in its appreciation of the contribution of the SRSG2 and the activities undertaken in the fulfilment of his mandate.3 The Council also endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (GPs),4 which had been drafted by Ruggie,5 thereby affirming an important commitment to address the human rights impacts of business.6 The GPs are the latest in a series of UN responses to this issue.7 This article assesses the steps being taken to transform the ideals embodied in the GPs into daily practice. The thirty-one GPs, with commentaries,...