23rd April 2014 Madrid, Spain
Business and Human Rights is a top priority for the British Government
I’ve blogged before about Business and Human Rights. Sustainable trade is vital for our economy, it supports employment and promotes British and global growth.
But at the same time, human rights values are intrinsic to our foreign policy.
So we will not promote trade at the expense of human rights.
Our work on business and human rights is a top priority for the British Government. It is also an area where we are collaborating closely with many partners in Spain.
Tomorrow, 24 April, I’ll be taking part in a seminar on this important issue here in Madrid. The Embassy has worked with Business and Human Rights to prepare it. We have a great cast of speakers, and the event will benefit from our excellent collaboration with the Spanish Foreign Ministry and BBVA.
Our focus will be on the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human rights. The UK was the first country to translate these principles into a national plan. Following extensive consultation across government, with business and with NGOs we launched the UK’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights on 4 September 2013.
Tomorrow’s seminar will provide a timely opportunity to reflect on our experience of our Action Plan. We will also, I am sure, have a valuable discussion of the wider challenges of delivering the UN’s Guiding Principles globally.
You can find full details of tomorrow’s event here. While attendance in person is by invitation only we will be live tweeting throughout using the hash-tag #Empresayddhh.
Tomorrow will also be one year on since the tragic factory collapse in Rana Plaza, Dhaka, Bangladesh. We will be marking that with a minute’s silence at the seminar tomorrow. This very powerful Guardian report offers some reflections on the modern textile industry.
The British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, says that foreign policy should be about improving the human condition, not just reacting to events. I think the international community’s work on business and human rights is a good example of trying to improve the human condition, and to do so through the efforts of a broad coalition of partners: government, business, NGOs and wider civil society working together successfully.
I’ll blog again after tomorrow’s seminar.
Dear Daniel ,
1st. of all : I `m very sorry to disturb you on a Sunday. But I ´ve got a more or less serious reason. Yesterday – Eve., Sat., May 3rd. 14 I once visited again the Stuttgart – based British-German friendship “Empire” – Club. Of course, we ´ve also talked ´bout politics. Well , I ´ve “earned” an entire bulk of loaded critics ´cause of the 1st. part of my comment to this, yr. report. A lot of Germans critized me very UNFAIR ´cause I ´ve also wrote in re. of “Business and Human Rights” : F.R.G. as well as ISRAEL.( “…how can you dare as a Welsh-GERMAN.to critize Israel…”, ” do you ´ve forgotten the past..?”) Are you in common, do you share this saying :”… Bei jeder Rüstungsschweinerei ist Israel vorn mit dabei…” (Isreal is delievering weapons to a lot of states of the evil ). My AW is and was : NO. Surely not! DON `T agree with sthg. like this. But a.: it must be allowed to critize the current POLICY of the Israeli governement but not the Jewish common people itself. b.: I was born in the sixties so it ´s also UNFAIR to blame me for all thjese horrible crimes of Nazi-Germans. c.: my (German) grandpa was a leading member of the German anti-nazi resistance plus there was once a book ´bout him and his role released in 1979. In other words : since I was a small child I was amongst his political influence and the influence of my (Labour-Party) Welsh Dad. To conclude : when I was already writing this 1st. , “critical” comment I did all to avoid words like “Jews” or maybe “Jewish”. As everyone can see.
Well, Daniel, sorry again by disturbing you via the Weekend.but I was just very upset and felt pretty low (and depressed).
Well , all I can do now is to wish you a peaceful, relaxed and happy Sunday – Evening.
Best wishes & take care of yourself , liebe Grüßle ond oin friedlicher Sondig-Abend, Ingo-Steven , Stuttgart
Querido Daniel , por debajo incluso de un breve comentario. Como siempre en espanol : El canciller Sir William Hague está del todo bien con su opinión cuando afirma que la politica exterior también siempre debe cuidar de la mejorade las condiciones de vida en el extranjero y nich deben ser sólo una respuesta siempre permanece un silencio , como en Bangla Desh. Palabras claras y corajudas, que extrano semejante Peer Steinbrück, SPD , con el Secretario de Estado alemán . Él/él totalemente sólo se queda silenciosos sobre tales temas como “La economia y los derechos humanos”. Est no es cobarde y horrible ? Me deja gustosamente convencido de la i opuesta !
Mi querido amigo greetingses, best wishes &take care, oin schöner Donnerstag- Abend, Ingo-Steven, Stuttgart
Dear Daniel ,
of course I do agree to yr. statement that sustainable trade is vital for the British economy and their global growth. So it ´s notable to me that the United Kingdom will not promote trade by givin ´up more or less the high levels of Human Rights. The only problem of which I do believe that it ´s (sadly!) still existing is that BY FAR not all 193 governments of the earth do have such high standards in re. of “Business and Human Rights”. F.R.G, esp. ISRAEL, the BRIC- States ( BRIC : Brazil , RUSSIA , India , CHINA ) or Pakistan do have absolutely much lower principles and morals within this context. That ´s why I´m convienced that ONLY a COMMON, STRIKING EFFORT of the – mentioned in yr. last chapter – “Broad Coalition” of PARTNERS will be finally able to achieve a FAIR BALANCE between “BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS”. By the way : Thanks a lot for all these (for me) so useful links. Very remarkable are to me # 3, the “UK´S NATIONAL ACTION PLAN” plus # 4 -yr. own “click here” link in re. of the today´s ( Thu., April 24th, 14 )event to this topic or issue. To conclude : I ´m really glad and looking forward to read yr. next report ´bout this seminar.
Best wishes, take care of yourself and best possible success for today!
Liebe Grüßle, ein schöner ond erfolgreicher Donnerstag ond Abend,
Ingo-Steven , Stuttgart