The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights clarify that all States are expected to ensure protection of and respect human rights in their role as economic actors.  This aspect of the State duty to protect human rights – the “State-business nexus” – covers policy areas such as management of State-owned enterprises, export credit, official investment insurance, and public procurement.

... During 2018 the Working Group is examining the leverage of States to promote corporate respect for human rights through its trade and investment promotion activities. As such, the Working Group seeks to identify good practice models of integrating corporate respect for human rights in:

• the use of “economic and trade diplomacy tools” and incentives for business such as export credit, investment guarantees, export promotion, trade advocacy and participation in trade missions; and
• trade and investment promotion in the context of export processing zones.

The Working Group aims to develop practical recommendations for States and international and regional organizations relating to these policy areas to be presented in its report to the Human Rights Council in June 2018. To gather information about good practice models and inform recommendations, the Working Group is currently seeking inputs from all relevant parties. Click here to access more information about this open call for inputs (deadline 12 March 2018).