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The Road from Principles to Practice

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The Road from Principles to Practice

Today's Challenges for Business in Respecting Human Rights

EIU,

5 min read
5 take-aways
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Business leaders say they accept corporate responsibility for human rights, but their actions don’t yet match their words.

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Recommendation

According to the stereotype, global business leaders are cold-blooded creatures who view every decision through the prism of next quarter’s profits. But a more realistic and nuanced perspective emerges in this report from the Economist Intelligence Unit, which finds that most corporate executives feel a clear responsibility to do business in a way that puts long-term ethical concerns ahead of the immediate bottom line. getAbstract suggests this enlightening study to professionals looking for insights into the future of corporate responsibility and business ethics.

Summary

Human rights issues have edged into the consciousness of corporate leaders. In a 2014 worldwide survey of 853 senior executives, 83% agree that enforcing human rights is the responsibility of the private sector as well as the government. That marks a sharp shift from the late 1990s, when firms didn’t consider human rights to be a corporate duty. Despite the attitude change, large organizations take time to adapt. Almost one-third of respondents say that, though they accept responsibility for protecting stakeholders, they’re unsure of how to proceed. Some call for regulatory guidance; 20% believe an international treaty on human rights...

About the Author

The Economist Intelligence Unit is an independent research and analysis organization.


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