Parliamentary Committee Backs Call for Responsible Business Law: A Milestone in the Campaign for UK Corporate Accountability

A new report by the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights calls for the Government to introduce mandatory human rights due diligence duties for businesses. Such a law would oblige companies to prevent human rights and environmental violations before they occur, and to would hold irresponsible corporations to account for harms caused.

This marks an important milestone in PBI UK's campaign, as part of the Corporate Justice Coalition (CJC), to advocate for a responsible business law in the UK.

While the report focuses on forced labour in UK supply chains, a responsible business law would address a far wider range of human rights and environmental abuses. However, in order to be effective, the law must include provisions to guarantee informed, meaningful and safe stakeholder engagement throughout due diligence processes, including protections for human rights defenders.

“We welcome the Committee’s strong call for mandatory human rights due diligence duties for businesses. This is a major step forward, but the Government must now consult with civil society and those most affected by corporate abuse”, said Christina Challis, Advocacy Manager of PBI UK. “This is a moment to celebrate, but also to act. We need to move swiftly from recommendation to legislation”.

PBI UK has consistently called on the Government to consult civil society organisations, affected communities and human rights defenders - both in the UK and around the world - to develop new legislation informed by the research and recommendations of the CJC, which represents a broad range of environmental organisations, human rights charities and trade unions. PBI UK and the CJC are calling on the Government to begin this process now.

“A responsible business law in the UK can help create a world where human rights defenders no longer face reprisals. Maybe even one where they won’t need to stand up to UK business abuses at all”, said PBI UK Director, Ben Leather.

PBI UK recently published The Case For Change, describing six cases in which activists were attacked for standing up to extractive industries with links to UK businesses. The report outlines what new UK legislation would need to cover in order to be effective. The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre documented 209 attacks on defenders linked to UK companies, between 2015 and 2023. “Without legal protections, those who stand up for their rights will continue to pay the price”, said Leather. 

• Read more about why grassroots human rights defenders are calling for a UK mandatory due diligence law here.

• Additional resources can be found on PBI UK’s Policy Advocacy Research Hub.

• Support PBI UK’s campaign for corporate accountability by donating here!