Skip to main content

Human Rights Compliance Assessment (HRCA)

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Decent Work and Economic Growth

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

  • 232 Accesses

Synonyms

Human rights due diligence; Human rights impact assessment; Human rights risk assessment

Definitions

Human rights compliance assessment seeks to analyze whether non-state actors’ activities respect and protect international human rights norms and standards. When the state acts as a private agent, this assessment can also apply. This assessment is performed to identify actual or potential risks to the human rights of the citizens that interact with those actors; once the risks are identified, the aim is to implement the necessary procedures and to adapt their activities to the parameters provided by human rights law and standards. The human rights compliance assessment is framed under the international human rights law. Various mechanisms have been designed to perform the human rights compliance assessment and it has been increasingly integrated into the management of organizations. The identification of the salient human rights that can be affected by the activities of...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bürgi Bonanomi E (2017) Measuring human rights impacts of trade agreements – ideas for improving the methodology: comparing the European Union’s sustainability impact assessment practice and methodology with human rights impact assessment methodology. J Hum Rights Pract 9(3):481–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CoE (2016) Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)3 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on human rights and business and its Explanatory Memorandum. https://www.coe.int/en/web/human-rights-rule-of-law/-/human-rights-and-busine-1

  • CoE/Greta (2016) Compendium of good practices on the implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

    Google Scholar 

  • Communication from the commission to the european parliament, the council, the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions Youth on the Move An initiative to unleash the potential of young people to achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the European Union (15.09.2010) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52010DC0477

  • Council of the EU (2016) Conclusions on Business and Human Rights. General Secretariat of the Council, 10254/16 of 20/06/2016

    Google Scholar 

  • CSR Europe/Enterprise 2020 (2015) Get Value Guide Your Company’s Sustainability Journey. https://getvalue.csreurope.org/CSR-GET_VALUE.pdf; http://getvalue.csreurope.org/csr%2D%2D-assessing-sustainability-management-mia.html

  • CSR Europe/Enterprise 2020: Sustainability Management Maturity and Integration Assessment https://www.csreurope.org/management-and-transparency-towards-integrating-sustainability/sustainability-management-maturity

  • CSR Europe/Enterprise 2020 (2016) The EU Blueprint for embedding human rights in key company functions. https://www.csreurope.org/blueprint-embedding-human-rights-key-company-functions#.W1iNabhcI2w

  • Daelman C (2015) State-owned enterprises and human rights: the qualification & the responsibility of the state. In: Letnar Cernic J, van Ho T (eds) Human rights and business – direct corporate accountability for human rights. Wolf Legal Publishers, Nijmegen, pp 407–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniel C, Wilde-Ramsing J, Genovese K, Sandjojo V (2015) Remedy remains rare: an analysis of 15 years of NCP cases and their contribution to improve access to remedy for victims of corporate misconduct. OECD Watch, Amsterdam. www.oecdwatch.org

    Google Scholar 

  • de Beco G (2009) Human rights impact assessments. Neth Q Hum Rights 27(2):139–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Schutter O (2011) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter. Addendum: guiding Principles on Human Rights Impact Assessments of Trade and Investment Agreements. United Nations General Assembly, New York, (A/HRC/19/59/Add.5)

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2015a) Commission Staff Working Document on “Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights – State of Play”. SWD, 2015, 144 final. https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/sites/antitrafficking/files/swd_2015_144_f1_staff_working_paper_en_v2_p1_818385.pdf

  • European Commission (2015b) Guidelines on the analysis of human rights impacts in impact assessments for trade-related policy initiatives. DG Trade, European Commission, Brussels. http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2015/july/tradoc_153591.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2015c) Questionnaire to raise SME awareness of CSR (Directorate-General for Enterprise) Ref. Ares (2015)2099534-20/05/2015

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2016) Handbook for trade sustainability impact assessment, 2nd edn. European Commission, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union Law: Regulation (EU) 2017/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17.5.2017 laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union Law: Directive 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12.6.2013 on safety of offshore oil and gas operations and amending Directive 2004/35/EC Text with EEA relevance

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union Law: Directive 2014/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22.10.2014 amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union Law: Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25.11.2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), repealing Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 and Commission Decisions 2001/681/EC and 2006/193/EC

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union Law: Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1505 of 28.08.2017 amending Annexes I, II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)

    Google Scholar 

  • FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) (2008) Position Paper; Human Rights Impact Assessments of Trade and Investment Agreements concluded by the European Union, February 2008 (available at: http://www.fidh.org)

  • The GLOBAL CSR and BBI International (2015) Guiding principles for businesses to respect human rights in key business sectors and for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Financed by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry)

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (2004) Synergies between the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) and the GRI 2002 sustainability reporting guidelines. A guide to help organisations communicate their use of the OECD MNE Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). https://www.oecd.org/corporate/mne/35150230.pdf

  • Götzmann N (2014) Human rights and impact assessment: conceptual and practical considerations in the private sector context. In: Matters of concern: human rights research papers 2014/2. The Danish Institute for Human Rights

    Google Scholar 

  • Inter-American Commission on Human Rights – Organization of American States (OAS), IACHR (2015) Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendent communities, and natural resources: human rights protection in the context of extraction, exploitation, and development activities, OEA/Ser.L OEA/Ser.L/V/II. Doc. 47/15. Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenzen O, d’Engelbronner M (2007) Human rights in business: a best practice guide to the human rights compliance assessment. Aim for human rights, Utrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruggie JG, Nelson T (2015) Human rights and the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises: normative innovations and implementation challenges. In: Corporate social responsibility initiative working paper no. 66. John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Shift (2015) Human rights due diligence in high risk circumstances: practical strategies for businesses, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Shift and the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) (European Commission). Employment & recruitment agencies sector guide on implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

    Google Scholar 

  • Shift and the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) (European Commission). ICT sector guide on implementing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights

    Google Scholar 

  • Shift and the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) (European Commission). Oil and gas sector guide on implementing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights

    Google Scholar 

  • Shift and Pacific Institute (2015) Guidance for companies on respecting the human rights to water and sanitation. https://www.shiftproject.org/resources/publications/guidance-companies-respecting-human-rights-water-sanitation/

  • Skinner G (2015) Rethinking limited liability of parent corporations for foreign Subsidiaries’ violations of international human rights law. Wash Lee L Rev 72:1769

    Google Scholar 

  • UN Global Compact (2014) Guide to Corporate Sustainability Shaping a Sustainable Future https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/1151

  • UN Global Compact and the Shift (2014) Organizing the human rights function within a company a good practice noted endorsed by the United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Labour Working Group on Prepared by: Rachel Davis and David Kovick, Shift

    Google Scholar 

  • UN HRC (2008) Protect, respect and remedy: a framework for business and human rights. (UN HRC A/HRC/8/5; 7/04/2008)

    Google Scholar 

  • UN OHCHC (2012) The corporate responsibility to respect human rights: an interpretive guide. HR/PUB/12/02 http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/RtRInterpretativeGuide.pdf

  • UN OHCHR (2011) Guiding principles on business and human rights implementing the United Nations “Protect, respect and remedy” framework. UN OHCHR, New York/Geneva. Framework, New York and Geneva:’ Resolution 17/4/2011

    Google Scholar 

  • UN OHCHR (2015) The UNGP for responsible contracts for state-investor contracts UN A/HRC/17/31/Add.3

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO 2017)

    Google Scholar 

  • The Danish Institute for Human Rights Human Rights (2006) Human Rights Compliance Assessment (HRCA) quick check. https://hrca2.humanrightsbusiness.org/Page-TheHrcaQuickCheck-23.aspx

  • The Danish Institute for Human Rights Human Rights: Linking the Universal Periodic Review to sustainable development Explore the connections between the recommendations of the UPR and the SDGs

    Google Scholar 

  • The Danish Institute for Human Rights Human Rights: The Human Rights Guide to the Sustainable Development Goals Linking human rights with all Sustainable Development Goals and targets The Danish Institute for Human Rights http://sdg.humanrights.dk/en

  • The World Bank (2013) Human rights impact assessments: a review of the literature, differences with other forms of assessments and relevance for development. The World Bank-Nordic Trust Fund, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Dam C (2015) Human rights obligations of transnational corporations in domestic tort law state. In: Cernic JL, van Ho T (eds) Human rights and business – direct corporate accountability for human rights. Wolf Legal Publishers, Nijmegen, pp 475–497

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Dam C (2017) Corporate responsibility to respect human rights vis-à-vis legal duty of care. In: Human rights in business. Routledge, London, pp 131–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker S (2011) Human rights impact assessments: emerging practice assessments: emerging practice and challenges. In: Paper presented at the expert meeting on contemporary issues in the realization of economic, social and cultural rights, Geneva, 10–11 February

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liliana Lizarazo Rodríguez .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Section Editor information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Lizarazo Rodríguez, L. (2019). Human Rights Compliance Assessment (HRCA). In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Decent Work and Economic Growth. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71058-7_13-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71058-7_13-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71058-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71058-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics