Human RIghts IA and Extractive Industries - Session I, Presentation 3

HRIA and Management - one size fits all?

Human Rights in Asia

  • Different country contexts
  • Political diversity
  • High risks for HR
  • History of HR abuses and challenge for business
  • Asian companies and their stakeholders not always using the language of HR
  • Narrowing in. On specific rights can be an opportunity for engagement
  • People development and alleviation of poverty
  • HRIA in the local context
Often focus on economic rights than political or other rights.

Commonalities can be found to start a discussion on HR with businesses.

 

Are companies in Asia prepared?

  • Of those who disclosed, energy companies were further down the road on dealing with HR than other industrial sectors.
  • Korea and Thailand had high scores followed by India and Indonesia.
 

CSR Asia are surveying companies on whether they have systems I place for intifying and assessing HR impacts in their operations. Showe that while most did not have a system HR was high on the company agenda.

 

Similar to other IAs, community engagement is an important part of HRIA.

 

Challenge in finding examples of best practice in HR.

 

Example: Cairn Energy in India

  • Commitments enshrined in values and principles - respect, relationships and responsibilities
  • 2005 CSR and guiding principles reconfirming universal declaration on HR
  • 2005 Human Rights Handbook developed a rights aware approach
  • Sharing awareness with oth stakeholders.
  • Right to water in Rajesthan - essential action (complying with law and regulations); expected action (meeting principle expectations of stakeholders); desirable action (increasing access to water in local area)
One size does not fit all

  • different challenges in different countries and localities
  • HRIA will be context specific
  • HRIA opportunity for communities to get involved
  • Can help to change mindsets of companies and other institutional stakeholders.
  • Integration or standalone
 

 

 

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