ICC disappointed by Ecuador Initiative adoption

  • 30 June 2014
ICC Responsible business

ICC has expressed deep concern that the adoption of a resolution for a binding human rights treaty on multinational corporations will undermine progress already made by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

ICC is deeply disappointed that the resolution put forward by Ecuador was adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last week, noting that the treaty would seriously undermine the implementation of the 2011 Guiding Principles and risk shifting the responsibility to protect human rights from states to the private sector.

Viviane Schiavi, Senior Policy Manager of the ICC Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption, said: “While the business community continues to be fully engaged to effectively implement voluntary commitments for respecting human rights, no initiative or standard with regard to business and human rights can replace the primary role of the state and national laws in this area.”

ICC has long considered responsible entrepreneurship including the improvement of human rights to be a driving force for sustainable economic development.

As the voice of international business, ICC played an influential role in the development of and now in the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights which have received wide support from governments, business and civil society.

ICC and its network spanning 6.5 million companies around the world remain firmly committed to promoting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, working with states, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, and other stakeholders.

Learn more about the work of the ICC Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption.