13 directly or indirectly—on virtually the entire spectrum of these rights. Even rights such as the right to a fair trial, which is clearly directed at States, can be adversely affected if, for example, an enterprise obstructs evidence or interferes with witnesses. In practice, some rights will be more relevant or salient than others in particular industries and circumstances, and companies will pay more attention to them. For example, the human rights risks that are most salient for enterprises in the apparel sector with products made by workers in factories across several countries, will differ from those of enterprises in the extractive sector that have to relocate an indigenous community. But there is nothing in principle that precludes any enterprise from causing or contributing to adverse impact on any internationally recognized human right. It is therefore not possible to limit the application of the responsibility to respect human rights to a particular subset of rights for particular sectors. Q 6. What does “avoid infringing” human rights mean? This means that enterprises can go about their activities, within the law, so long as they do not cause harm to individuals’ human rights in the process. For example, if a factory or a mine pollutes the water source of the surrounding communities so that people do not have the same access to safe drinking water as before, it has infringed on the enjoyment of the right to safe drinking water. Or, if an enterprise evicts a community without due process, consultation and compensation, it will infringe the right to adequate housing. Q 7. Is the responsibility to respect human rights optional for business enterprises? No. In many cases the responsibility of enterprises to respect human rights is reflected at least in part in domestic law or regulations corresponding to international human rights standards. For instance, laws that protect people against contaminated food or polluted water, or that mandate workplace standards in line with the ILO conventions and safeguards against discrimination, or that require individuals’ informed consent before they take part in drug trials, are all different ways in which domestic laws can regulate the behaviour of enterprises to help ensure that they respect human rights. The responsibility to respect human rights is not, however, limited to compliance with such domestic law provisions. It exists over and above legal compliance, constituting a global standard of expected conduct applicable to all businesses