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Business Policies on Human Rights: An Analysis of Their Content and Prevalence Among FTSE 100 Firms

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  • Lutz Preuss
  • Donna Brown

Abstract

The new millennium has witnessed a growing concern over the impact of multinational enterprises (MNEs) on human rights. Hence, this article explores (1) how wide-spread corporate policies on human rights are amongst large corporations, specifically the FTSE 100 constituent firms, (2) whether any sectors are particularly active in designing human rights policies and (3) where corporations have adopted such policies what their content is. In terms of adoption rates of human rights policies, evidence of exemplary approaches in individual companies contrasts with a less satisfactory engagement pattern across the sample, as 42.8% of firms do not seem to address human rights at all. With regard to the content of corporate human rights policies, the study found shallow commitments to dominate, where companies focus on a narrow range of negative rights, i.e. on respecting human rights, rather than positive ones, i.e. initiatives to protect or fulfil human rights. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

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  • Lutz Preuss & Donna Brown, 2012. "Business Policies on Human Rights: An Analysis of Their Content and Prevalence Among FTSE 100 Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(3), pages 289-299, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:109:y:2012:i:3:p:289-299
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-011-1127-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Rachel N. Birkey & Ronald P. Guidry & Mohammad Azizul Islam & Dennis M. Patten, 2018. "Mandated Social Disclosure: An Analysis of the Response to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 827-841, October.
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    6. Ana Čertanec, 2019. "The Connection between Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Respect for Human Rights," DANUBE: Law and Economics Review, European Association Comenius - EACO, issue 2, pages 103-127, June.
    7. John E. Katsos & Yass AlKafaji, 2019. "Business in War Zones: How Companies Promote Peace in Iraq," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 41-56, March.
    8. Lopatta, Kerstin & Tideman, Sebastian A. & Scheil, Carolin & Makarem, Naser, 2023. "The current state of corporate human rights disclosure of the global top 500 business enterprises: Measurement and determinants," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    9. Kumar, D. Thresh & Palaniappan, Murugesan & Kannan, Devika & Shankar, K. Madan, 2014. "Analyzing the CSR issues behind the supplier selection process using ISM approach," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 268-278.
    10. Wettstein, Florian & Giuliani, Elisa & Santangelo, Grazia D. & Stahl, Günter K., 2019. "International business and human rights: A research agenda," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 54-65.
    11. Frank Hubers & Thomas Thijssens, 2023. "Protect, respect, remedy, and report? Development of human rights reporting in the context of formal institutional settings," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 2783-2798, November.

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