Help us stop multinational companies abusing human rights

People and the planet are being harmed by the actions of corporations and the public sector. And there are no national or international laws to stop them.

UNISON is involved in two campaigns to Stop Corporate Abuse

  • The United Nations Binding Treaty on Business and Human Rights and
  • A Failure to Prevent (human rights due diligence) UK regulation.

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‘Failure to prevent’ harm to people and the planet in our public sector supply chains

In 2019, we joined our partner Corporate Justice Coalition and more than 20 other organisations to call for a UK law to hold business and the public sector to account when they fail to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harms.

This would require them to undertake ‘human rights and environmental due diligence’ (HREDD) across their supply chains and hold them liable when they fail to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harms.

It should be based on the existing 2010 UK Bribery Act’s ‘Failure to Prevent’ model. Momentum for laws like this has gathered pace with around 15 national campaigns across Europe and the EU Commission are set to introduce a law very soon.

It’s not going to be easy to take this law to Parliament but with your help, we’ll get there sooner.

UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights

Whilst new national laws to prevent harm to people and planet and EU-wide legislation will make a difference, it’s still not enough.  We need global rules to level the playing field for all corporations.  Therefore, UNISON has also been supporting a UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights (UNBT) so that entire company operations and activities across the world are regulated.

Take action

Raise awareness in your branch:

  • Failure to Prevent PowerPoint to start building awareness and support within your branches (under construction, nearly ready! Watch this space)
  • Share this short video with your branch, friends and family and ask them to share it and to support the campaign when opportunities arise

Petitions and lobbying elected politicians:

  • Sign this petition to ask your MP to support the UN Binding Treaty
  • Ask your Member of Parliament/Assembly, your local councillors, Leader or Mayor to sign the UN Binding Treaty’s Call of people’s representatives Worldwide.

Learn more about public procurement and global supply chains on our Purchasing Power page and find out how you can help your employer to play their part by putting workers’ at the heart of public procurement

Learn more: What do the experts say?