“Report of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises on its mission to Brazil”, 12 May 2016

...Pavel Sulyandziga and Dante Pesce…visited Brazil…at the invitation of the Government...to assess…efforts made to prevent and address adverse human rights impacts of business-related activities…[S]ome companies have specific policies and guidance on human rights in line with the Guiding Principles, it…was not the case for a majority of business…[R]aising awareness of the Guiding Principles and investing in capacity-building efforts should be priority…areas...[H]uman rights risks were mainly seen as risks to a company’s operations, rather than risks faced by vulnerable rights holders. Companies should not just be assessing human rights risk by analysing the risk to the company of the success or failure of projects…[;]…a holistic consideration of human rights risk may be sidelined to the detriment of affected communities…[There is a n]eed to…strengthen the support provided to rights holders to enable them to be in a balanced position vis-à-vis companies and public officials…[A]ffected communities…conveyed a sense of vulnerability, isolation and rejection by the decision makers and those with power…[It’s important that]…Government and businesses listen…to…the most marginalized. Deeply considering the opinions and experiences of those affected…is essential to ensuring that human rights are not jeopardized in the pursuit of economic growth…

[It refers to BNDES, Carrefour, Complexo Industrial Portuário de Suape, Consórcio Norte Energia, Petrobras, Samarco (joint venture BHP Billiton and Vale), Syngenta and Vale]