Human Rights & Labour

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The aim of human rights is to protect the dignity and the freedom of human beings. Human rights apply globally and equally to all human beings. They include, for example, the prohibition of discrimination, the right to privacy, the right to safe and fair working conditions and the right to an adequate standard of living.

The State, as a primary address for the protection of human rights, has a duty to respect human rights, to protect them from interference by third parties (such as companies) and to ensure human rights. However, companies can also influence human rights through their actions, e.g. on the human rights of their employees, suppliers, customers and consumers, as well as the human rights of people who live near the company and production sites.
Respect for human rights is therefore a key prerequisite for the social acceptance of business activities and for limiting reputational, operational, financial and legal risks. A proactive human rights approach helps in the prevention or reduction of management costs, in the protection of a company’s own reputation and in the preparation or the implementation of new regulatory measures. Such an approach also brings advantages in terms of meeting the demands of business customers, an improved credit rating, more positive acceptance by customers compared to competitors and greater employee satisfaction, all of which generate a better operating environment.

The first six principles of the UN Global Compact are therefore aimed at respect for human rights and the implementation of labour standards. They are derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (0,02 MB PDF, German) and from the „Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work“ (0,1 MB PDF, German) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The principles of the Global Compact also correspond to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, an international frame of reference for Business and Human Rights. It formulates the basic societal expectation that companies around the world have the responsibility to respect human rights in their own business activities and business relations.

In the field of “Business and Human Rights”, the DGCN supports companies in the implementation of their CSR, in that it:

• points out the relevance of the respect for human rights along the value chain for companies.
• enables companies to anchor human rights due diligence in management processes involving internal and external stakeholders, through practical solutions and tools.
• draws attention to the human rights of especially vulnerable groups, particularly those of Women (0,23 MB PDF, English) and children (3,8 MB PDF, German).
• provides a platform for continuous exchange of information to discuss strategies and measures and to further develop business-related approaches.