Today the non-profit Business & Human Rights Resource Centre launched two new information portals.

"Getting Started" provides an introduction to business & human rights and to over 25 specific issues, such as complicity, displacement, access to medicines and freedom of expression.

"Tools & Guidance" provides practical guidance to help companies operationalise human rights "“ for use by business people, human rights advocates and others.

All the information on both portals is accessible free of charge.

Features of the "Getting Started" portal include:

• A short introduction to business & human rights, by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.


• 12 introductory texts by authors such as UN Special Representative John Ruggie, Human Rights Watch, International Alert, UN Global Compact.


• "Getting started" sections on over 25 business & human rights issues. For each issue, the portal provides: international standards; key reports; examples of allegations against companies & company responses; positive initiatives by business; and relevant lawsuits.


• Comments by experts from civil society and business on the connection between the private sector and human rights.


• A guide to the Resource Centre website, the world's leading information hub on business & human rights.

The Tools & Guidance Portal is a central hub bringing together practical guidance to help companies operationalise human rights. It is the first time such a range of guidance is available in one place, saving people the need to visit many different websites.

The portal is useful for business people and other actors such as NGOs, governments, and international agencies. It provides guidance from diverse sources "“ from companies themselves to human rights organizations "“ and has a global perspective.

The portal is dynamic: it will be updated on a regular basis and the Resource Centre welcomes suggested additions. It includes the following sections:

• General guidance on business & human rights


• Guidance by issue (access to water, discrimination, labour rights, security issues & conflict zones, etc.)


• Guidance by sector (agriculture, apparel, extractives, finance, security, tourism, etc.)


• Principles and standards on business & human rights


• Company policy statements


• Human rights impact assessment


• Training


• Reporting "“ including a list of 14 of the better corporate reports on human rights


• Latest news and developments (for example, new tools)

Christopher Avery, the Resource Centre's Director, said:
"Ten years ago, the connection between business and human rights was rarely made. This has now changed. Civil society is shining a spotlight on companies' human rights impacts in all regions. Business is becoming more aware that it is expected to respect human rights, and that there are consequences if it does not do so.

Internationally-accepted human rights standards provide a solid framework to guide company conduct. We hope that these two portals will help demystify the subject, provide people with easy access to the information they need, and encourage greater respect for human rights by business worldwide."

The portals are made possible by a grant from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

The portal content is predominantly in English, with some material in Spanish and French. More content in all three languages will be added on a regular basis.

These new portals complement two existing portals on the Resource Centre website. The portal on the United Nations Special Representative on business & human rights features the work of the Special Representative and commentaries about it. The Corporate Legal Accountability Portal profiles and demystifies lawsuits from around the world alleging human rights abuses by companies. In mid-2010 the Resource Centre plans to launch a fifth portal on "Business, conflict & peace."

The portals and the entire Resource Centre website are engineered by Jamkit, specialists in web solutions for the not-for-profit sector. Jamkit is part of the Blue Fountain Systems group of companies.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (www.business-humanrights.org) tracks the human rights impacts (positive & negative) of 5000 companies in over 180 countries. The site is updated hourly and receives 1.5 million hits per month.

Mary Robinson chairs its 80-member International Advisory Network. Its 20 Academic Partners include leading institutes in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America.

For further information about the Resource Centre, see the "About us" section of the website.

SUPPORT THE RESOURCE CENTRE: Please consider making a donation to help us continue to provide these resources for free. To avoid any possible perception of a conflict of interest, the Resource Centre does not accept donations from companies. Donations from individuals and foundations are therefore essential for our work to continue.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

The Resource Centre is an independent non-profit that promotes greater awareness and informed debate about human rights issues relating to business. Our website is updated hourly with news and reports about companies’ social and environmental impacts worldwide, including alleged abuses, positive steps, and company responses to concerns raised about their conduct. The site has sections on over 4000 companies. It also includes special resources such as all materials issued by the UN Special Representative on business & human rights; a list of companies with human rights policies; profiles of lawsuits against companies. Mary Robinson is Chair of our International Advisory Network. Visit the website for further details and to sign up for free Weekly Updates. See website for contact details of our New York office and team members in Hong Kong, India, South Africa, UK, Ukraine, USA

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