A/HRC/4/74
page 9
guidance on “flashpoint issues” such as indigenous people, dealing with armed groups,
transparency, and security, and identifying legal standards and best practices. CSBP also
includes a discussion of the limitations of ESIAs.12
34.
The Human Rights & Business Project of the Danish Institute for Human Rights has
produced two tools to help companies understand and manage their human rights impacts and
risks: (a) country risk assessment reports that identify areas where companies are at risk of
committing human rights violations, directly or indirectly, with recommendations; and (b) a
comprehensive diagnostic tool that assesses to what degree a company’s policies, procedures,
and practices comply with international human rights standards. Both tools are being used by
several companies.13
35.
The Humanist Committee on Human Rights (HOM), a Dutch NGO, has created a Human
Rights Impact Assessment Resource Centre (HRIRC). The HRIRC is a platform for exchange of
information and experience from sectors including business and development, catering to experts
and non-experts alike. HOM is applying the aforementioned Danish Institute tools with
companies and civil society organizations, and in November 2006 convened a conference on
HRIAs.14
36.
Additional tools are being developed by companies and industry groups: BHP Billiton is
piloting a Human Rights Self Assessment toolkit; Anglo American has created a
Socio-Economic Assessment Toolbox; Statoil is undertaking a human rights “concretization”
project to define and embed the company’s human rights responsibilities; and the International
Council on Mining & Metals Community Development Toolkit includes assessment tools.
Additional examples of business tools and processes can be found in the Business Leaders
Initiative on Human Rights’ second report: A Guide to Integrating Human Rights into Business
Management.15
12
See International Alert, http://www.internationalalert.org/our_work/themes/extractive_industries.php.
13
See the Danish Institute for Human Rights, http://www.humanrightsbusiness.org/, where a
short version of the compliance tool can be accessed for free.
14
See the Humanist Committee on Human Rights, http://www.hom.nl/, and the Human Rights
Impact Assessment Resource Centre http://www.humanrightsimpact.org/.
15
See BHP Billiton,
http://hsecreport.bhpbilliton.com/2005/repository/community/ourApproach/humanRights.asp;
Anglo American,
http://www.angloamerican.co.uk/corporateresponsibilty/socialresponsibilty/seat/; the
International Council on Mining & Metals,
http://www.icmm.com/library_pub_detail.php?rcd=183; and the Business Leaders Initiative on
Human Rights, http://www.blihr.org.
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