A Roadmap to Further the Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

On 29 November, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Business and Human Rights launched its ‘Roadmap for the Next Decade of Business and Human Rights’.

This document is the culmination of the Working Group’s UNGPs 10+ project, which has been supported by the Geneva Academy since its inception in July 2020.

The roadmap aims at providing strategic orientation for states, businesses, civil society, international organizations, and others to make greater headway in translating the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) from policy-level commitments to concrete changes in government and business practice.

‘While a lot of progress has been made over the last decade, a lot remains to be done to ensure a coherent implementation of the UNGPs. The eight action areas identified by the UN Working Group in its roadmap – to which concrete goals are attached – will address current shortcomings and identify what needs to happen over the next decade’ explains Felix Kirchmeier, Manager of Policy Studies at the Geneva Academy and Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

A Geneva Academy research supported the entire process that led to the development of the Roadmap, including support to the stocktaking analysis, roadmap drafting and coordination of the consultation and research process that generated more than 200 written submissions from states, business organizations, civil society organizations, national human rights institutions, law firms, UN entities and others.