Departamento encuestado: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Dept. of State
Response to the UN Working Group surveys on implementation of the Guiding Principles
¿Su gobierno ha adoptado alguna iniciativa para reducir los impactos negativos de las empresas en los derechos humanos que usted considere particularmente exitosa? Por favor indique uno o más ejemplos al respecto.
Yes, one example is the U.S. government’s participation in multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs). Multi-stakeholder initiatives are voluntary initiatives by which stakeholders, including companies, governments, and civil society; work together to address challenges of collective concern that no one actor may be able to solve on its own. Examples of MSIs that the U.S. government participates in are the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (Voluntary Principles) Initiative, The International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC), and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
For example, extractive industry companies operate in some of the most challenging and conflict-affected environments in the world. The Voluntary Principles Initiative is a MSI that promotes implementation of a set of principles that guide oil, gas, and mining companies on providing security for their operations in a manner that respects human rights. For example, the principles guide companies in conducting a comprehensive human rights risk assessment in their engagement with public and private security providers to help ensure human rights are respected in the protection of company facilities and premises. The U.S. government has devoted significant time and energy towards strengthening outreach to encourage other governments to join the Voluntary Principles Initiative, and to encourage companies to implement the principles. It has devoted over $1 million in programmatic funds to support this objective. Corporate participants in the Voluntary Principles Initiative commit to implement the principles in their business practices. In order to continue to enhance implementation of the principles, some company participants are increasing their focus on accountability. Over the last few years, 15 Voluntary Principles Initiative companies have been piloting ways of verifying their commitments to the Initiative. Since that time, Voluntary Principles participants have developed and are implementing verification frameworks to build upon this process. Verification processes will help companies maintain high standards while they do business in some of the most challenging areas of the world, as well as enhance transparency.
The ICoC is the product of a multi-stakeholder process aimed at raising the standards of private security companies (PSCs) operating in complex environments around the world. The ICoC sets forth principles on issues including the use of force, detention, slavery and forced labour. The ICoC has been signed by over 600 PSCs, including many that contract with the U.S. government in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. PSCs that sign the ICoC affirm that they have a responsibility to respect the human rights of all those affected by their business activities; commit to establish and demonstrate internal processes to meet the requirements of the ICoC’s principles and the standards derived from the ICoC; and commit to submit to and become certified by ongoing independent monitoring by the soon-to-be-established ICoC oversight mechanism. The U.S. government has engaged in and supported this process from the beginning, and has a representative on the ICoC Association Board of Directors.
The EITI provides an international standard by which countries reconcile and publish revenues paid by extractive companies and revenues received by governments for extractive activities. The process is managed in each country by a multi-stakeholder group of government, civil society, and company representatives. In May 2013, the international EITI Board adopted extensive revisions to the EITI rules to make them more effective in promoting transparency and accountability in the extractives sector. The updated rules will help ensure EITI data is comprehensive, reliable, and usable by citizens in holding their governments accountable. The U.S. government has been a strong supporter of EITI since its founding over 10 years ago, recognizing that transparency is a critical component of sound governance in countries’ oil and other extractive sectors. President Obama’s September 2011 announcement that the U.S. government would not only support, but also implement the EITI underscored the Administration’s belief that this initiative benefits countries in all regions and all levels of development. A State Department representative serves as an Alternate on the international EITI Board and the State Department supports the U.S. Department of the Interior in implementing the EITI domestically. Implementing EITI is one of the commitments made by the U.S. government in its Open Government Partnership (OGP) national action plan.
Please see the U.S. Government Approach to Business and Human Rights for more examples of relevant initiatives: [link]
¿Qué departamento o departamentos tienen una responsabilidad significativa respecto a las empresas y los derechos humanos dentro de su gobierno?
On international issues, the U.S. Department of State leads U.S. government policy on business and human rights issues. Domestically, multiple U.S. government agencies have significant responsibility for business and human rights issues.
¿Cuáles son los cinco principales temas de derechos humanos en los que las pueden tener impacto, sobre los que su gobierno ha tomado medidas?
On September 24, 2014, President Obama announced the development of a U.S. National Action Plan to promote responsible and transparent business conduct overseas. Our top priority issues will be determined through the development of the U.S. National Action Plan.
¿Su gobierno ha adoptado un Plan de Acción Nacional sobre las empresas y los derechos humanos como lo recomienda el Consejo de los Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas y el Grupo de Trabajo sobre la Cuestión de los derechos humanos y las empresas transnacionales y otras empresas, o lo hará en el futuro?
On September 24th, 2014, on the margins of the UN General Assembly, President Obama announced the development of a U.S. National Action Plan to promote responsible and transparent business conduct overseas.
The NAP will address ways in which the U.S. government can promote, encourage, and enforce established norms of responsible business conduct with respect to human rights, labour rights, anti-corruption, and transparency.
In doing so, the National Action Plan will: help set clear, consistent, and predictable expectations for U.S. firms in their global operations; facilitate internal U.S. government communication and coordination; strengthen the trust and communication among stakeholders; identify USG commitments to assist in creating a rights-respecting enabling environment for businesses operating abroad; and further promote responsible investment and responsible business conduct.
In developing the National Action Plan we will take on a whole of government approach and will involve many U.S. agencies. Since the President’s announcement, the White House has convened various U.S. government agencies to begin discussing the contours of and process for fulfilling this commitment.
¿Qué pasos se han dado para desarrollar nuevos mecanismos de reparación judiciales o administrativos o para limitar los obstáculos que presentan actualmente los mecanismos de reparación para las víctimas?
Response to this question is predicated on the ongoing development of the U.S. National Action Plan.
¿Qué pasos se han dado para desarrollar mecanismos extrajudiciales, mejorar los mecanismos actuales, y reducir los obstáculos para las víctimas?
Response to this question is predicated on the ongoing development of the U.S. National Action Plan.
Para las empresas que tengan casa matriz en su país o sus subsidiarias ¿su gobierno ha dado pasos para mejorar la rendición de cuentas sobre el impacto en derechos humanos en el exterior?
Response to this question is predicated on the ongoing development of the U.S. National Action Plan.
¿Qué tipo de apoyo, si lo hay, su gobierno acogería con agrado como apoyo a sus acciones para mejorar el impacto que tienen las empresas sobre los derechos humanos?
The U.S. government seeks to continue to collaborate with governments, civil society, and business to improve business impacts on human rights and to further dissemination and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We encourage others to join us as we rededicate our energy to continued participation in constructive, multi-stakeholder processes to further the Guiding Principles, including through our NAP process and the expert consultation process on domestic remedies for gross human rights abuses led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.