RT Article
T1 Business and the International Human Rights Regime: A Comparison of UN Initiatives
JF Journal of business ethics
VO 87
IS 2
SP 401
OP 417
A1 Seppala, Nina
LA English
PB Springer Science + Business Media B. V
YR 2009
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1785634755
AB This article argues that the extension of the international regime of human rights to companies has not changed the essentially state-centric nature of the regime. The analysis focuses on three recent United Nations initiatives: (1) ‘Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights’, (2) the Global Compact, and (3) the work of the UN special representative on business and human rights. The analysis shows that, despite these initiatives, states are the primary holders of human rights obligations and have a key role in the decision making and enforcement of the regime. Companies have participated to the regime, but they have done so mainly through lobbying governments and thus enforcing the role of states. The analysis also shows that the engagement of new actors to decision-making about the extension of regime norms is essential for norm adoption. Finally, the issue of non-compliant companies needs to be resolved before the regime can be considered established.
K1 transnational corporations
K1 regime theory
K1 International Human Rights
K1 Global Compact
K1 Corporate Social Responsibility
K1 business and human rights
DO 10.1007/s10551-009-0297-4