Responsible Business Conduct Initiative
States
Providing advisory services on developing National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, as well as general capacity building regarding the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the core human rights treaties as related to business activities.
Businesses
Providing advisory services on drafting human rights policy statements, conducting human rights due diligence, crafting remedial mechanisms and capacity building to develop an enhanced understanding of responsible business conduct.
Others
Working with individuals, civil society and others to promote a better understanding of business and human rights through the lens of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and core human rights treaties as related to businesses.
Core Services
Working with Government Ministries
Assisting Governments with implementing their responsibilities in line with prevailing interanational best practices, particularly the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This includes the drafting of a National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights and National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.
Working with Companies
Using the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights ('UNGPs') and other legal instruments, GJA assists businesses with improving their understanding of responsible business conduct. The three core processes identified in the UNGPs are GJA's principal service offerings and can be found below.
Drafting Human Rights Policy Statements
Creating a clear, comprehensive and genuine statement on a company's commitment to responsible business conduct.
Conducting Human Rights Due Diligence
Conducting human rights due diligence helps to identify, prevent, mitigate and otherwise account for how a company addresses its potential and actual adverse human rights impacts as a result of their business activities and operations.
Crafting Internal Remedial Mechanisms
Crafting corporate remedial mechanisms as an available avenue of redress for workers, surrounding communities, companies in one's supply chain, and others assists in addressing problems before they escalate to litigation and cause reputational damage.
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2016 Speech on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
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Meeting in 2019 with textile factory workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Meeting with Bangladeshi factory inspectors concerning investigating allegations of modern slavery in textile factories
GJA Staff Work
Western Balkans
GJA has partnered with national and regional advocates throughout the Western Balkans to develop an initiative called “Better Business Balkans” (“BBB”). Relying upon our network, expertise and understanding of the local political, economic and geopolitical environments, BBB seeks to provide technical assistance to Western Balkan countries and companies to advance their business environment (both public and private) and to bring their activities in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Bangladesh
Between 2015 - 2019, Scott Martin of GJA assisted factory owners and labour inspectors in complying with international human rights standards. This included promoting anti-modern slavery practices, countering human trafficking, and other core human rights protections. He also conducted human rights due diligence, produced human rights policy statements, crafted complaint mechanisms, and with the GRC team assisted in amending government inspection documents for factories.
Sub-Saharan Africa
In 2021, GJA worked on the status of the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 46 sub-Saharan African states. Mr. Martin worked with a range of stakeholders in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the UNDP team based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Read the report here.
Pacific Islands
In 2022, Mr. Martin of GJA drafted a report on behalf of the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights concerning business and human rights that will identify actors, stakeholders, and key issues within 14 States of the Pacific region. The report will provide options for strategic engagement with business and human rights actors and will help shape their future actions.
South Sudan
In 2016, Scott Martin provided short-term advisory services to a multinational business enterprise in the oil and gas sector detailing international best practices for the business enterprise to follow in relation to human rights compliance and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
European Union
Scott Martin and the GRC team provided an independent legal opinion to the Treaty Alliance, an informal grouping of more than 600 NGOs involved in human rights advocacy. The opinion related to business and human rights and the propriety of drafting a binding treaty regarding the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Ukraine
GJA provided advice and hosted a speaking engagement in Kyiv for the Directorate of Human Rights, Access to Justice and Legal Awareness of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
United States
Since 2021, GJA has been working to promote the passage of a federal anti-SLAPP bill in US Congress. Anti-SLAPP laws protect defendants in civil actions when they are compelled to defend against meritless civil actions that are filed to silence defendants who are expressing their constitutional rights.
India
In 2014, Scott Martin and the GRC team created a business and human rights course for the University of Law in Hyderabad.
Russian Federation
In 2014, Mr. Martin assisted Wayne Jordash QC in the design of training courses for the Russian Ombudsperson and corporations on responsible business practices, including international standards of anti-corruption activity and risk management.
