Will respecting human rights make the business more profitable?

Will respecting human rights make the business more profitable? Increasingly the answer is yes. The issue of human rights is moving up the agenda.

Transparency in procurement.

21.11.2014

Responsible Procurement Thought Leader Alis S. Hemmingsen, CSR.dk

Increasingly the answer is yes. The issue of human rights is moving up the agenda. Though it is not that straight forward. Typically it will take a while before you can see it on the company’s bottom line.

Focusing on human rights, and other ethical approaches, can help build your company’s transparency. It can serve as a radar or early warning system.

ETHICAL IS CORPORATE THINKING
Business is getting better at recognizing the importance of the human rights agenda. We are no longer debating whether business has a responsibility to respect human rights. The conversation has moved on to focus on how business can effectively embed this responsibility across corporate value chains.

Personally I think it is encouraging to see, that businesses of all sizes, across different sectors and geographies are increasingly cognisant of the need to respect human rights, and the implications of failing to do so. Human rights are no longer perceived as fringe issues for global business, but are increasingly being placed at the centre of how businesses operate.

Progress is for sure being made to embed human rights in corporate thinking. There remains an imbalance in how businesses are going about implementing the considerations.

BENEFITS
It enables you to identify potential problems and to resolve them before they become more serious and costly. It may also improve customer relations and reputation, and enhance employees job satisfaction with a positive impact on productivity and efficiency.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Some companies have chosen to work together with other companies who face similar issues.
Anglo-American, the London-based multinational mining company, has done this with its Socio-Economic Assessment Toolbox (SEAT), sharing its knowledge and experience in developing and undertaking human rights impact assessments, by making the tool available to be used by others.

WHY (SEAT)
Anglo American is committed to making a lasting positive contribution to the communities associated with its operations, and to being a partner of choice for host governments and communities, as well as an employer of choice. The effective management of social issues
is a necessary element of good overall operational management, and a source of competitive advantage.

WHAT IS SEAT?
It is a tool to manage impacts on both host communities – where operations are located – and
associated communities – those from where labour is drawn or which are otherwise impacted by our operations. SEAT provides managers with international best-practice guidance and tools to develop strategies for enhancing the positive impact of their operations, while also mitigating any negative impacts. SEAT is firmly rooted in the practicalities and commercial considerations of the business.

Since its launch in 2003, SEAT has been used at over 50 operations in 16 countries, and has become an important tool in how the Business Units manage their business performance. SEAT has been used, for example, to inform local procurement decisions; as part of the risk management process; and to provide guidance to capital projects implementing their stage gate requirements.

Seat has business value. It provides a framework to build constructive and transparent dialogue with stakeholders. It helps managers identify business strategies with
positive socio-economic impact. It helps local operations secure their licence to operate and the trust of stakeholders.

Learn more about the tool here.

Please share this blogpost if you like it.

Learn more about Responsible Procurement Excellence and how we can help your company build a more ethical approach. Download our free stuff, participate in our webinars or simply dive into our articles and blog posts for more inspiration.

Responsible Procurement Excellence has specialized in helping companies around the world develop and integrate an actionable approach to Responsible Procurement. 

An actionable approach goes beyond compliance, has a positive effect on the reputation, raises efficiency and generates revenue. 

Stay connected, sign up for the newsletter.

Dansk Standard

Sponseret

Global standard for bæredygtighed i event-, møde-, sports- og oplevelsesbranchen nu på dansk.

Rambøll A/S

Sponseret

Final Call: ESRS Deep-dive webinar

Relateret indhold

06.02.2025Atea Danmark A/S

Sponseret

Fra mine til gadget: Konfliktmineralernes skjulte pris

03.02.2025ANDERS ANDERSENS RENGØRING

Sponseret

”Presset” til genanvendelse … et cirkulært samarbejde

30.01.2025Schneider Electric

Sponseret

Verdens mest bæredygtige virksomhed ser unge faglærte som nøglen til grøn omstilling

30.01.2025Atea Danmark A/S

Sponseret

Fra mine til gadget: Din smartphone er en skattekiste

28.01.2025Schneider Electric

Sponseret

EVENT: AVEVA Select KnowledgeXchange (ASKx)

27.01.2025Schneider Electric

Sponseret

Schneider Electric EcoFit Center i Sundsvall

24.01.2025Kinnarps A/S

Sponseret

Made in Sweden – vores fabrik i Skillingaryd

23.01.2025Atea Danmark A/S

Sponseret

Kobolt: Den skjulte drivkraft bag din elektronik

Jobmarked

Se alle

Hold dig opdateret med CSR.dk

Tilmeld dig nyhedsbrevet og følg med i alt som rører sig indenfor ESG og bæredygtig udvikling Nyhedsbrevet kommer kun to gange ugentligt. Herudover sender vi dig relevante temaer og spændede events.

Se flere temaer

Events

Se alle
CBS Executive Fonden
Kursus
SERVICE EXCELLENCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Tidligere SECA-uddannelse! En executive diplomuddannelse med fokus på dit personlige lederskab, forretningsudvikling og kundedreven innovation. Service Excellence Leadership Academy har til formål at udvikle ledere og servicevirksomheder ved at udvide den enkelte deltagers ledelses- og forretningsmæssige kompetence samt ved at udvikle netværk og styrke konkurrence- og innovationsevnen.

Dato

27.01.2025

Sted

Porcelænshaven 22, 2000 Frederiksberg

TANIA ELLIS - The Social Business Company
Uddannelse
Sustainable Business Change Manager – Praktisk mini MBA med certificering - Hybrid - Efterår 2024

Tid til at forbedre ESG og sustainability-indsatsen I virksomheden – eller til at tage næste karriereskridt? Få nyeste viden og praktiske værktøjer til at opgradere din virksomheds ESG- og bæredygtighedsindsats, din egen faglighed og dit CV. Holdstart november 2024.

Dato

28.01.2025

Tid

09:00

Sted

Kosmopol, Fiolstræde 44, 1171 København K

Folkekirkens Nødhjælp
Event
Invest in Women: En aften for forandring i verden ~ Folkekirkens Nødhjælp

Gå ikke glip af årets mest inspirerende aften! Deltag i velgørenhedsarrangementet Invest in Women i Moltkes Palæ. En spændende aften om kvinders økonomiske empowerment og ligestilling – med stærke keynote-speakers og netværk.

Dato

06.02.2025

Sted

Moltkes Palæ, Dronningens Tværgade 2, 1302 København K

Dansk Standard
Kursus
Svanemærket Byggeri Diplomkursus - 2 dage

På dette diplomkursus får du redskaberne til at varetage processen fra projektering til aflevering af et svanemærket byggeri.

Dato

11.02.2025

Tid

09:00

Sted

Comwell H.C. Andersen Odense

Klappir Nordic ApS
Webinar
ICR introduction on Carbon Credits

Date: Tuesday, 11th February 2025, Time: 09:00-09:30 (UTC +00:00), Format: Online Webinar

Dato

11.02.2025

Tid

09:00

Sted

Online event

Sustainable Business Solutions ApS
Webinar
Introduktion til klimadata og klimaregnskaber i praksis - Februar

Er du ny i arbejdet med klimaregnskaber, og mangler du en grundlæggende forståelse for, hvad arbejdet med klimadata og udarbejdelse af klimaregnskaber indebærer? Så er dette kursus for dig.

Dato

17.02.2025

Tid

09:00

Sted

Live online (Zoom)