Respecting human rights in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic

The spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the respiratory illness from the latest known variant of Coronavirus, has in just a few short months been relentless and its impacts exponential.

Given the scale and severity of the unfolding crisis, companies of all sizes and operating in all contexts are now faced with a range of unprecedented challenges that will require clarity of thinking, sharp focus on goals, commitment to adhere to international standards and norms, creativity, and a concerted effort toward collective action.

This report is divided into four parts (also available in Spanish and soon in French). Part I provides an overview of the human rights impacts of the pandemic. Part II outlines the importance of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights in the current context. Part III identifies where change is needed and where good practices are being implemented. It concludes with a series of recommendations to businesses. Part IV looks ahead, to the extent that is possible, and reflects on the longer-term implications. Three appendices show instructive examples from the past – how Sime Darby handled the outbreak of Ebola in Liberia, how ExxonMobil dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in the USA, and how companies like BP and Daewoo responded to armed conflict in Libya.

Download the full report

Featuring:

• Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation
• John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce
• Anita Ramasastry, Member, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
• Marcela Manubens, Global Vice President for Integrity Social Sustainability, Unilever
• Salil Tripathi, Senior Advisor Global Issues, Institute for Human Rights and Business
• John Morrison, CEO, Institute for Human Rights and Business