Question 6

Explanation

Human rights are part of modern society’s values. They should be respected and protected by all relevant parties, including businesses. An organization can contribute to the promotion of human rights by identifying and managing the risks throughout their supply chain. There are potentially many risks on human rights in supply chains, for example:

• Workers are coerced into work, like bonded labor or human trafficking. This violates their right to freedom and dignity.

• The supplier does not provide a safe environment to work. This exposes workers to health and safety hazards and infringes their right to life and well-being.

• Workers are paid unlivable wages or denied their benefits. This prevents them from meeting their basic needs and enjoying their right to an adequate standard of living.

• Workers are discriminated against or harassed based on their gender, race, religion, or other characteristics. This undermines their right to equality and non-discrimination.

• Workers are prevented from forming or joining trade unions or collective bargaining. This limits their right to freedom of association and expression.

To address these risks, an organization should conduct human rights due diligence in its supply chain, as recommended by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This means taking steps to assess actual and potential human rights impacts, take effective measures to prevent and mitigate those impacts, and provide remedy for any harms that occur. The organization should also be transparent about its human rights policies, processes, and performance, and engage with its stakeholders, especially the affected workers and communities. By doing so, an organization can demonstrate its respect for human rights and create positive social value in its supply chain.