Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) released a briefing in March 2015 called "Principles without justice: The corporate takeover of human rights".  The briefing is the executive summary of a larger forthcoming report.  It alleges that companies are able to use the UN Guiding Principles and Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights to exonerate themselves when human rights violations occur that and these principles allow companies to privatise and control the implementation of human rights. 

The briefing draws on 2 case studies to illustrate its points: Glencore's operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Acacia Mining's (previously African Barrick Gold) operations in Tanzania.  We invited both companies to respond.  Acacia Mining's response is below.  Glencore have indicated that they will respond to the full report when it is released.

Professor John Ruggie, Former UN Special Representative on Business & Human Rights, and author of the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights also responds to the criticisms raised in the briefing.