Strengthening Responsible Business Conduct at the Local Level

Background

The five Partnership member entities are part of the Alianza de Territorios Responsables América Latina-Europa (Alliance of Responsible Territories Latin America-Europe - ATRAE), a network that connects stakeholders involved in public policy work on Human Rights and Business (HRB) at the local level, created in 2021 in the framework of the Initiative co-financed by the ADELANTE Window 2021, 'Public policies for the promotion of Responsible Business Conduct at the local level'.

Given the joint interests and the trust established in the process, the Instituto de Derechos Humanos Pedro Arrupe de la Universidad de Deusto (Pedro Arrupe Human Rights Institute of the University of Deusto - IDHPA), in Spain, the Government of Buenos Aires, the Government of the Province of Salta, and the Government of the Province of San Juan in Argentina have renewed their commitment to continue working together. The Government of Antioquia, Colombia, is the newest addition to the Partnership, and has been developing a public policy strategy on human rights and business (HRB) since 2017.

It is worth noting that the Government of Antioquia and IDHPA have been working together since 2020 on the project 'Promotion of responsible business in Colombia through departmental public policy', with co-financing from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, which in 2022 resulted in one of the first three 'Departmental Action Plans on Human Rights and Business'.

This Partnership has been joined by two collaborating entities that have a long history of commitment to the issues, as well as a history of joint work within the framework of the ADELANTE Window, which has strengthened and facilitated the work of Partnership entities. On the one hand, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - Regional Office for South America (OHCHR) will collaborate with its network in nine countries through the 'CERALC Fund for the Promotion of Responsible Business Conduct in Latin America and the Caribbean'. On the other hand, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation - Technical Cooperation Office in Colombia will collaborate by lending its experience in the sector in eight priority territories in Colombia.

Entities and roles

Beneficiary entities

Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Argentina

Gobierno de la Provincia de Salta

Argentina

Gobierno de la Provincia de San Juan

Argentina

First provider entities

Gobernación de Antioquia

Colombia

Second provider entities

Instituto de Derechos Humanos Pedro Arrupe de la Universidad de Deusto

Spain

Development challenges

Local entities, as part of the State, have an obligation to take the necessary measures to protect human rights from the impacts of business activities, as set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The UN Working Group established Human Rights and Business action plans as the most appropriate way for public entities to meet this obligation; analysing risks and impacts, and defining actions to prevent, mitigate and remedy them.

The Initiative has drawn on the expertise of the Partnership members to design a model for a Business and Human Rights and Responsible Business Conduct Action Plan that is tailored to the local context, and is aligned with local public policies and international standards and benchmarks, while remaining participatory and inclusive.

The Initiative aimed for capacity building among the Partnership's entities in order to create a model of a human rights and business action plan for local entities, based on the model of the Government of Antioquia and the methodologies used by the University of Deusto, which focused on supporting companies with regard to Responsible Business Conduct.

Triangular approach

The Triangular Cooperation modality has proven to be highly effective for the development of locally-adapted solutions, as it offers mechanisms for harnessing knowledge and responding to local challenges and contexts. Moreover, the willingness to collaborate with all types of actors from different geographical backgrounds, institutional mandates and roles was particularly enriching, as well as appropriate for work on the protection of human rights in relation to business activities, as this is an issue that calls for a multidimensional, participatory and inclusive approach.

Since 2017, the Government of Antioquia has been developing a working strategy on Human Rights and Business (HRB) public policies, which resulted in a Territorial Action Plan in 2022. It offers insightful reflections on the local challenges faced regarding the relationship between business and human rights, how this affects sustainable development, growth and local resilience, and what measures are needed to address them.

In turn, the IDHPA has extensive experience in similar processes, providing an opportunity to broaden the perspective of the Partnership member entities, in addition to lending its experience in training to better shape the dynamics of the Initiative's activities.

The three entities in Argentina are facing different yet complementary challenges and needs, and therefore have useful experience for the joint construction of the Action Plan, which will be developed with the purpose of being shared with other territories that are expected to collaborate with the ATRAE Network.

Sectoral approach - Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

Primary SDG

Goal 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead

Goal 8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms

Secondary SDG

Goal 12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities

ADELANTE SDG

Goal 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

Goal 17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

Territorial approach

Intervention methodology

The Initiative's work plan is based on the foundation of a strong and well-established relationship between the Partnership member entities and a history of collaboration that began in 2021, which not only made it possible to capitalise on the efforts made within the framework of the first Initiative, but also to begin working, guided by a very clear roadmap and concrete results.

An initial Partnership-led workshop was held, coinciding with the study visit to Colombia, allowing for participation in the 'VII UN Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights for Latin America and the Caribbean' in July 2022. Through this activity, information was gathered on initiatives of interest, and in particular programmes to support companies, extractive industries and gender in business management. The ATRAE Network was also given greater visibility, providing an opportunity for the incorporation of other sub-national entities. In addition, based on the joint work of the Partnership, the statutes on the functioning of the ATRAE Network were established and will be shared with new partners who join the network.

Following this, a face-to-face seminar was held in Medellín, Colombia, focused on learning about the experiences of different local entities in the design and implementation of human rights and business action plans. The Partnership member entities discussed the challenges faced in the process of designing and implementing these plans, and jointly formulated a methodological framework containing guidelines and recommendations based on shared experiences that address these challenges.

In parallel, a consultancy was carried out with experts in human rights, business and the development of methodological frameworks, which helped synthesise the knowledge generated in the framework of the study visit and the seminar. The consultancy also facilitated the development of the Action Plan by lending expertise on regulatory issues, trends and relevant initiatives, among others, which provided additional insights for the Partnership.

Lastly, a final working seminar was held between the partner entities of the Partnership and the entities that had applied for formal incorporation into the ATRAE Network. They also took the opportunity to participate in the III World Forum on Human Rights that was held in Buenos Aires in order to present the knowledge and insights shared between the partner entities, validate the methodological tool and ensure its applicability at local and territorial level. In addition, the experience of the Network was also shared and promoted, formalising its growing scope.

Seminar: Action plans on human rights and business among local entities
Medellín, Colombia |15 November 2022

[@gallery:galeria-ict308-actividad2@]

Direct beneficiaries (individuals)

According to Rule 9 of the Guidelines for Applicants: all persons participating in the activities of the Initiative.

The Initiative involved more than 50 direct beneficiaries; predominantly professionals from the Partnership member entities involved in the planned activities.

Thanks to the awareness-raising activities and dialogue between the ATRAE Network and other entities in the framework of the Regional Forum in Medellín, it was possible to increase the impact on direct beneficiaries by providing them with good practices that are likely to be adopted and applied by external parties (other governments, companies, CSOs, international organisations, citizens, etc.), in addition to adding six new partners to the ATRAE Network.

Budget

EU contribution: 81,428.38 €

Co-financing - Triangular Cooperation Partnership: 31,989.00 €

Total budget: 113,417.38 €

The information gathered in this IMPACT section is the result of the first 'joint ex post analysis exercise' of the Initiative which, as foreseen in the policy framework of the ADELANTE Window, took place one year after the end of the implementation period.

For more information on these exercises, please consult the ADELANTE Window 2021 Impact Report.

Continuity of the Partnership

STARTING POINT: Existing relationship that responds to the logic and definition of Triangular Cooperation.

The Partnership has been strengthened and maintained over time.

The dynamic of collaboration and joint work has been maintained between all the Partnership member entities involved in the Initiative.

In addition, a solid platform for collaboration (Red ATRAE) has been created and reinforced by incorporating new entities from Partnership countries and other countries in the region.

Application of generated knowledge

The knowledge generated has been applied by all Partnership member entities.

This has led to support from international organisations such as UN Women, ILO, OHCHR and CERALC, which are assisting in the organisation and development of training to strengthen the Red ATRAE network and each of its member entities.

During implementation, the Initiative involved final beneficiaries (companies and civil society organisations interested in good practices in human rights and business).

All of the Beneficiary entities have continued to work closely with these groups, who have benefited from and applied the knowledge generated throughout the Initiative.

Impact

Applying this knowledge has enabled the Beneficiary entities to successfully tackle the development challenge that gave rise to the Initiative with the necessary quality assurance. At the same time, the other Partnership member entities have increased the impact of their interventions.

In addition, it has given rise to actions with significant impact beyond those envisaged in the Initiative, such as the ‘Equal and violence-free spaces’ campaign in Salta and ‘Companies committed to human rights’ in Jujuy.

FACTORS THAT HAVE ENABLED THE IMPACT:

Mutual trust and a good rapport between the individuals from the Partnership member entities.
The well-designed framework of relations throughout implementation of the Initiative, which has enabled political / institutional support at the highest level.

Future perspectives

Continue to make progress in the Partnership’s work, which is already established as a stable platform with a strong potential to expand the number of entities involved, generating and exchanging new knowledge.

Ensure public financial support and international funding to strengthen the platform and broaden its objectives, which remain relevant.

Download PDF