On 9 December 2016 the Federal Council adopted a report outlining a national action plan for the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Switzerland is one of the first countries to adopt such a strategy in order to promote coherence between business activities and human rights...The UN Guiding Principles establish a foundation for regulating various business activities from a human rights perspective. The Federal Council’s report was drawn up in response to the parliamentary postulate 12.3503, which was submitted in June 2012 by National Council member Alec von Graffenried. The strategy focuses on the duty of the state to protect human rights and provide access to remedies. It contains 50 instruments aimed at ensuring that Swiss companies operating in Switzerland and abroad respect human rights, for example by including the topic of business and human rights in political consultations and ensuring that Swiss representations abroad raise companies’ awareness of the issue. The report was drawn up following a broad consultation process involving the private sector, non-governmental organisations, social partners, the academic community and research institutes. The measures proposed in the strategy are set to be implemented on a four-year basis synchronized with the legislative periods...