"Corporate Responsibility for International Crimes", 19 May 2015

This is a summary of an event held by the International Law Programme at Chatham House, in association with Doughty Street Chambers, to explore the topic of corporate responsibility for international crimes. Two main strands emerged in the discussion: 1. The relationship between business and human rights. 2. How might a corporation be held legally accountable at the domestic and international level?...The discussion opened with a framing of the current state of business and human rights...Although the objective of corporations is to create wealth, legal abuses may occur along the way...It was noted that there are no easy answers...One solution suggested by a speaker was a binding treaty on business and international crimes, but finding consensus for this among states would be a real challenge. [Refers to Blackwater, Chevron, Chiquita, Ericsson, Nike, Shell, Talisman, Unilever]