Summary

The Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, as part of the mandate given by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 17/4, conducted two pilot surveys on the uptake and implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: one of States and one of corporations. The results of the surveys are presented in the present report in aggregate form and do not identify individual States or corporations.

The objective of the pilot surveys was to build the methodological foundations for a tool that can be used annually to identify global uptake trends, enablers and challenges of implementation, while simultaneously signaling the Working Group's expectations that all States and all corporations implement the Guiding Principles. The long-term objective is to generate reliable, evidence-based information to track systemic progress, encourage accountability and inform the Working Group and other stakeholders involved in developing guidance on business and human rights.

Inputs received

The State survey was developed and disseminated in cooperation with Denver University and the University of Minnesota. A questionnaire was sent to all Member States in October 2012 and was supplemented by in-depth interviews with a limited group of States across regions. The initial deadline for replies of 10 November 2012 was extended to 30 January 2013 at the request of a number of Governments.

Download the questionnaire sent to States English | Français | Español

Preliminary results were presented at the first Forum on Business and Human Rights on 4 December 2012. Statement by Alexandra Guáqueta, Member of the UN Working Group - Session on global trends in Implementation of the Guiding Principles, 4 December 2012.

While replies by States were treated anonymously, some States have made their replies public:

• United States