UN HRC53: Statement on human rights & transnational corporations
Statement for Interactive Dialogue on the Working Group Report on human rights & transnational corporations & other business enterprises. Delivered by the UK.
Thank you, Mr President.
The United Kingdom welcomes the Working Group鈥檚 report on building capacity for the implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The UK鈥檚 commitment to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights remains steadfast.聽It is the leading international framework guiding both States and business in upholding human rights for all, particularly with access to remedy for victims of business-related human rights abuses.
The UK welcomes efforts to develop a more coordinated approach to capacity building through multi-stakeholder partnerships to facilitate greater uptake of the Guiding Principles. We look forward to engaging with the Working Group, and other States, to develop such a coordinated approach.
The UK welcomes the Working Group鈥檚 recommendations which emphasise business responsibility to respect human rights across their activities, operations, and business relationships. We continue to work with UK businesses to create an accountable and transparent system to ensure human rights abuses are identified, remedied, and eliminated, for example through the Companies Act鈥檚 reporting requirements and the Modern Slavery Act鈥檚 requirements for businesses to publish modern slavery statements.
In the context of the recent publication of the Global Slavery Index, how can we ensure that States and businesses work together effectively to eradicate forced labour from supply chains?
Thank you.