The Business & Human Rights Resource Center has released a 10-page briefing calling on information and communications technology (ICT) companies around the world to maximize their positive contribution to human rights, and to avoid abuses.
Since 2005, Business & Human Rights Resource Center has invited companies to respond publicly to human rights concerns raised by civil society. Over 220 of these approaches have been to ICT firms, which have a response rate of 70 percent. In 2005-2006, only four percent of the companies invited to respond to concerns were from the ICT sector — by 2012-2013, this figure increased to 13 percent.
Over three-quarters of the Resource Centre’s approaches to ICT companies for responses have related to concerns in four countries/regions:
- China (32 percent of the invitations to respond, many in relation to working conditions in ICT firms’ supply chains);
- Middle East & North Africa (23 percent, largely relating to surveillance, censorship and Internet shut-downs);
- South Asia (12 percent, regarding working conditions and censorship issues);
- USA (10 percent, which includes lobbying by US business associations against the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act on the sourcing of conflict minerals — some firms distanced themselves from the business associations on this).
“Technology is a powerful tool for human rights,” Business & Human Rights Resource Center said in a statement. “With the ever-increasing scrutiny of ICT companies’ conduct — much of this enabled by the Internet itself — and the growing availability of practical guidance on how to do the right thing, there is little excuse for inaction.”
Several ICT companies have followed a learning curve towards a leadership stance. For example, Yahoo! which, following criticism for handing user details of the journalist Shi Tao to the Chinese authorities that led to his arrest, later became a founding member (along with Google and Microsoft) of the Global Network Initiative, a multi-stakeholder initiative to address privacy and freedom of expression.
The briefing illustrates the human rights dimensions of ICT in six areas:
- Combating censorship
- Curbing surveillance and repression
- Protecting privacy
- Broadening access
- Engaging the supply chain
- Respecting children’s rights
It concludes with recommendations to companies and also to governments — given that action by both is needed for change.
Last December, the UN Global Compact (UNGC) released a new guide aimed at helping businesses understand the rights of indigenous peoples, and recommends practical actions to respect and support these rights. The guide grew out of dialogue among a group of Global Compact LEAD companies and is the product of an 18-month collaborative process.
In January, the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative (CFSI), a leading industry initiative on conflict minerals, called on more companies to join over 120 from seven different industries to already become conflict-free. The CFSI provides vital sourcing information that enables companies to make informed choices about minerals they use in their products — including helping companies meet their upcoming reporting deadline related to U.S. conflict minerals regulations.
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Mar 5, 2014 10am EST / 7am PST / 3pm GMT / 4pm CET