Human RIghts IA and Extractive Industries - Session I, Presentation 4

Lessons Leaned from the Extractive Sector

• Recommend integrating into existing processes
  
• Instigated by site level staff
  
• Able to identify both risks and opportunities/positives
  

 

"Protect, Respect and Remedy" both their partners and workers as well as communities.

 

8 lessons learned

1. Companies need to "know and show" - have a policy, conduct due diligence (assess, integrate, track and communicate e.g. doing it is linked to pay to ensure it is done by staff)
2. One part of integrated approach - have executive and operational governance structures for HR, linked to policy and strategy and integration plan and monitoring structures and progress
3. Need to be robust and include engagement - keep up to date with international standards, review local context including liaising with local lawyers, talk to stakeholders,
4. Respect all rights - International Bill of Rights (economic, social and civil; env and community health; land and property acquisition; security; labour; ...
5. Customised to companies existing processes
6. Should include opportunity maximisation
7. Need to be integrated into company processes and decision making
8. HRIA practitioners need to engage company throughout the process

 

Practical challenges

• Integrating into already busy jobs - link between HQ and site
  
• Measuring impact of policies and processes
  
• Internal communication
  
• Integrating HR into the supply chain
  
• Assessment and policy fatigue
  
• Community awareness of corporate human rights policies and grievance systems
  

 

Way of bringing existing policies together and tends to reinforce and ensure that policies are appropriate.