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Article

15 Mar 2013

Author:
Thomas Colquhoun-Alberts, Jetztzeit

“Just Business” book launch and some afterthoughts

Last night was the UK launch of John Ruggie’s book Just Business: Multinational Corporations and Human Rights, about the process of agreeing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights...For critics, the Principles are another example of soft law and a failed approach. In Ruggie’s view, which he emphasised in his speech, his polycentric approach has introduced a “new regulatory dynamic” that breaks the policy stalemate induced by the the mandatory vs. voluntary debate. Perhaps it is too early to tell who is right, but I think this dynamic quality introduces something new into debates about advancing human rights agendas, particularly moving from softer to harder approaches, which are undoubtedly more effective and more desirable...[refers to Unilever]