The Swiss government has published human rights guidelines - claimed to be the first of its kind - for firms operating in the commodity sector. 

The documentexternal link entitled “Guidance on Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights” was released on Wednesday at the 7th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva. 

It calls on companies involved in the commodities sector to be mindful of their impact on human and social rights, which includes safety of workers, the impact of mining on local communities and doing business in countries “where governance is weak”. 

The report states that firms should conduct proper due diligence of their impact around the world, develop policies that clearly state their commitment to human rights, review existing business relationships and take steps to mitigate harmful impacts of their activities...

However, the guidelines are not legally binding and are only meant to serve as a tool for companies that do not wish to fall foul of regulations. The voluntary nature of the guidelines was criticised by the Swiss NGO Public Eye... Public Eyes states that the commodity sector [...] is relying on the Responsible Business Initiative to ensure compliance from companies.