abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

18 May 2011

Author:
Peter Frankental, Economic Relations Programme Director, Amnesty Intl. UK, Institute for Human Rights and Business blog

The Reshaping of Amnesty International’s Business and Human Rights Work

During the 1990s, Amnesty International focused on engagement with companies, such as Shell, BP and Exxon, to persuade them to face up to their impacts particularly in some of the high-profile contexts of Colombia, Nigeria and Indonesia, where corporate activities were contributing to the abuses that were taking place. Many companies adopted human rights principles and policies in response to Amnesty’s advocacy...The limited effectiveness of constructive engagement led to a review of strategy…The onus has since been placed…on governments and inter-governmental bodies to raise global standards and to develop the regulatory systems to hold companies accountable…For the future, a…challenge for Amnesty International…will be to integrate human rights into other disciplines that also seek to raise standards for companies…[I]t will become essential for human rights bodies to exchange resources with environmental and developmental organizations...[refers to Barclays, Shell, BP, Exxon]