The Role of Companies in Promoting Human Rights

States are usually attributed the responsibility for the protection of human rights and for ensuring compliance and enforcement of the rules applying to them. However, the role and responsibilities of companies in respect of human rights has increased over time. This is particularly true in a in a globalized competitive world where firms increasingly conduct business in contexts where there are significant shortcomings in human rights. Several regulatory international and national instruments apply to the interaction between corporate governance and human rights. However, the former instruments are soft law driven while the latter although showing an increasing trend, are still isolated initiatives. This article covers the above topics and why they call for a more active agenda of companies and their boards in framing and ensuring respect for human rights, including at a time in which COVID-19 might be eroding it in some parts of the world. It aims at further shedding light into regulatory and corporate initiatives which can make a difference in promoting human rights and support an increased and informed awareness of both their importance and the need for their prioritization.