NAP International

The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which were adopted by consensus by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2011, are based on a three-pillar model: the State duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to respect human rights, and access to remedy for victims of human rights violations.

In order to meet these standards, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights mandated by the Human Rights Council called on the international community to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in particular by developing National Action Plans (NAPs). Since 2013, various countries have been developing and implementing National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights. The development processes, contents and implementation structures of these plans vary from country to country, for example with regard to their level of ambition and thematic priorities.

Which countries are currently implementing the UN Guiding Principles?

In Germany, the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP), adopted on 21 December 2016, promotes the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles. At the international level, a total of 40 countries have currently adopted a NAP. In other countries, a formal process to develop a National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights is underway. In several countries that have already adopted NAPs, these plans are currently being reviewed or will soon be evaluated in order to prepare their further development or revision. Given their global supply and value chains, many German companies are also directly affected by the different regulatory requirements and policy approaches to implementing the UN Guiding Principles in different countries.

In the interest of a global level playing field and of effectively strengthening the protection of human rights, it is a central concern of the Federal Government that as many countries as possible implement the UN Guiding Principles through high-quality policy programms, mostly in the form of National Action Plans. This includes deepening a common understanding of human rights due diligence obligations in international dialogue and promoting cross-border sustainable supply chain management through practical cooperation measures. In the NAP, the Federal Government has committed itself to actively promoting the development of NAPs in developing and emerging countries as well, for example by supporting national human rights institutions. With regard to the EU level, the Federal Government advocates a European Action Plan on responsible corporate governance and human rights in supply chains that coherently combines the measures of the EU and its Member States.