UN Human Rights Council 44: Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises

Thank you, Madame President

The UK welcomes efforts by the Working Group to draw greater attention to links between anti-corruption and human rights agendas. We urge Governments and businesses to continue working together to share best practice and drive up standards.

The UK remains a strong advocate for the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. As referenced in our National Action Plan, we have created a number of instruments to motivate good corporate behaviour and respect for human rights, including the Bribery Act, which ensures companies can be held accountable for acts of bribery committed anywhere in the world.

Our Business Integrity Initiative helps businesses guard against both corruption and human rights abuses when trading with emerging markets in developing countries.

The Working Group’s report discusses public procurement, where Governments have the opportunity to harness their spending power to tackle both corruption and human rights abuses. The UK Government has taken significant steps to tackle modern slavery in our commercial activities and this year published our first Government Modern Slavery Statement. The UK government has an established anti-corruption strategy tackling all types of corruption and fraud including through procurement.

Madame Chair,

Which international forums and processes does the Working Group believe we should look to in driving forward greater policy coherence across human rights and anti-corruption agendas?