46
GUIDING PRINCIPLE 19
In order to prevent and mitigate adverse human rights impacts, business enterprises
should integrate the findings from their impact assessments across relevant internal
functions and processes, and take appropriate action.
(a) Effective integration requires that:
(i) Responsibility for addressing such impacts is assigned to the appropriate level
and function within the business enterprise;
(ii) Internal decision-making, budget allocations and oversight processes enable
effective responses to such impacts.
(b) Appropriate action will vary according to:
(i) Whether the business enterprise causes or contributes to an adverse impact,
or whether it is involved solely because the impact is directly linked to its
operations, products or services by a business relationship;
(ii) The extent of its leverage in addressing the adverse impact.
Q 43. Why does this matter?
The larger the enterprise, the more likely it is that the individual or team
responsible for assessing human rights impact sits apart from the personnel
conducting the activities or overseeing the relationships that typically generate
that impact. So those assessing the impact do not control the decisions and
actions that can prevent, mitigate or remedy it. The departments that do control
those decisions and actions therefore have to be involved in identifying and
implementing solutions. Integration enables this to happen.
The speed and ease with which an enterprise responds to potential human
rights impact can be decisive for its effectiveness in managing its human
rights risks. This is where the success of the enterprise in embedding its
human rights policy commitment throughout the enterprise makes a significant
difference.
“Embedding” is the macro process of ensuring that all personnel are aware of
the enterprise’s human rights policy commitment, understand its implications
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents