Coronavirus is raising a range of human rights dilemmas for business, including:

• Discrimination, notably against ethnically Chinese and Asian persons (including persons of Asian descent and appearance)...
• Privacy, as health and other personal data are collected in the workplace and in public, often via integration with facial recognition and other biometric technologies...
• Labor rights and worker welfare, with heightened risks for vulnerable workers and those in forced labor...
• Freedom of expression, as employees face consequences for speaking publicly about working conditions, and companies address increased risks of disinformation...

... Companies can consider the following recommended actions to minimize adverse impacts on human rights stemming from their response to coronavirus or other public health crises in the future:

• Limit employee exposure to coronavirus in the workplace...
• Provide paid leave in case of illness, quarantine, or to care for a sick family member...
• Develop a plan with suppliers to ensure worker welfare while supporting business continuity, such as flexible quotas and delivery schedule...