UNITED NATIONS, (MILLAT/APP): The only way to achieve
socially sustainable supply chains is if human rights are
protected and respected, a group of UN experts said Wednesday
in an open letter addressed to G20 (industralised countries)
leaders currently meeting in Geneva.
Despite contributing positively to social and economic
development worldwide, links between global supply chains
and negative human rights impacts persist, the UN Working
Group on Business and Human Rights said.
Michael Addo, the current head of the Working Group said:
“All too often, global supply chains are associated with human
rights violations and abuses such as unsafe working conditions,
child and forced labour, livelihoods destroyed by toxic industrial
wastes, land seizures without compensation, and persecution of
those who speak up against such abuse.”
Millions of lives are affected by the actions of companies in
global supply chains and as such, governments and companies have
enormous potential to promote sustainable development and uphold
human rights, as long as they work together to do so, the working
group noted.
The letter calls on governments to “lead by example,” in
their roles as economic actors in ensuring that state-owned or
controlled business respect human rights.
G20 members are meeting to prepare a ministerial declaration
for more inclusive global economic growth.
“The G20 represents 85 percent of global economic output,
75 percent of world trade, and two-thirds of the world’s
population, and includes both major ‘developed’ and ’emerging’
economies,” Michael Addo noted.
“G20 leaders are therefore uniquely placed to address the
human rights risks and impacts associated with global supply
chains. They also have a unique responsibility to demonstrate
leadership on this critical issue for our time,” he said.
The UN Working Group also said that any commitments to
promoting sustainable supply chains must be founded on the
globally-agreed UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human
Rights.
The Working Group on human rights and transnational
corporations and other business enterprises was established
by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2011. Along with current
Chair Michael Addo, its members are: Surya Deva, Dante Pesce,
Anita Ramasastry and Pavel Sulyandziga.