A new approach to business and human rights

Abstract

Business and human rights has been one attempt at responding to one of the most important questions of the 21st century: How can we ensure that large corporations will play a positive – and not a negative – role in the shaping of our future? However, this thesis points out that the business and human rights debate has remained on a somewhat technical level, thus failing to recognize that from a lager point of view there are three distinct approaches in which companies can engage in socially beneficial activities. This distinction is not merely of academic interest, since this thesis will show that these three approaches have different on-the-ground human rights consequences. In addition, an emerging business approach, described as a cutting edge issue in other fields, is introduced for the first time to the business and human rights debate. Finally, based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that the current focus in the field of business and human rights needs to be dramatically shifted.