"COVID-19 and business and human rights: Adopting a responsible business response", 11 March 2020

The rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic is affecting business and value chains in many different ways. The adverse impacts of the coronavirus on people, within the company and in society as a whole, mean that human rights are at stake, and corporate human rights practitioners need to be involved in decision-making... There are many positive steps being taken by companies, but there is a lack of digests of considerations for business to turn to... The COVID-19 crisis again emphasises the need for corporations to understand the human risks of their operations, and to carry out effective due diligence on their actual or likely impacts - in their workforce and wider value chain... Company strategies to support workers in more vulnerable situations: Where such strategies do not already exist, the coronavirus provides a strong reminder of the need to ensure the rights of vulnerable workers... COVID-19 poses significant human rights challenges that should not be underestimated - and the involvement of human rights practitioners in decision-making in companies at this crucial time is absolutely critical. They will continue to be so in the recovery stage and the future resilience-building stage of this catastrophe.