CommunicationPublished on 13 December 2024

National action plan on business and human rights 2024–27

On 13 December 2024, the Federal Council adopted the updated national action plan on business and human rights ('NAP'). Existing measures have been strengthened and updated and 10 new measures added, which are intended to help achieve the objectives of the NAP.

Human rights are multidimensional and apply to many aspects of life, including sport. — © FDFA

The NAP has been revised by the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in consultation with external stakeholders, including trade associations, civil society and academia. The NAP aims to enhance human rights protection in business operations, clarify the Federal Council's position, and set out its expectations of businesses.

Business and human rights

Globalisation poses a challenge to human rights. The increasing complexity of supply and value chains makes safeguarding workers' rights, ensuring safety and protecting the environment more challenging. In the absence of government protection, businesses are responsible for ensuring that human rights are upheld. Business activities must not encroach on human rights.

Two independent studies provided a basis for assessing whether the NAP could be improved and whether new measures were needed. The findings indicated that the NAP could be enhanced by calibrating business policies and instruments and identifying business activities that pose new risks to human rights. The studies also showed that NAP measures could be more efficient and impacts better measured. All stakeholders will continue to receive support. The findings confirmed that over 80% of measures under the NAP 2020–23 had been implemented successfully and that six measures would need to be updated and strengthened under the NAP 2024–27. Ten new measures have now been introduced to help achieve the NAP's objectives.

• UN Guiding Principles

  In 2011, the UN Human Rights Council adopted the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which define states' duty and corporate responsibility to ensure that human rights are respected in business operations. The 31 guiding principles are based on three pillars. Pillar 1 sets out the state duty to protect people from human rights abuses committed by private actors, including business enterprises. Pillar 2 deals with corporate responsibility to respect human rights and to exercise due diligence. Pillar 3 addresses the need for access to remedy for those affected by business-related human rights abuses.

• National action plan

  The Federal Council recognises that businesses play a key role in implementing and protecting human rights and that the state must support companies based or operating in Switzerland. The federal government is therefore responsible for helping businesses to implement the UN Guiding Principles and creating incentives to comply. The NAP explains how Switzerland intends to implement the UN Guiding Principles, actively strengthening the protection of business-related human rights.

New technologies

One of the 10 new measures added to the NAP 2024–27 addresses the digital space and new technologies. Digital technologies have not just brought economic changes, but revolutionised society. The changes bring opportunities, e.g. economic growth, but also human rights-related risks. New technologies potentially jeopardise privacy and personal freedom, and can also be used to carry out unlawful surveillance and build discriminatory algorithms. In order to protect human rights, Switzerland is working with the private sector to implement the UN Global Digital Compact. The purpose of the Compact is to establish an inclusive global framework that ensures an open, free, secure and human-centred digital future for all.

Energy transition

Innovations, including new technologies, are not just driving the economy, but also contributing to the energy transition to low-carbon and renewable energy sources. The energy transition, which requires the extraction and processing of raw materials, presents a challenge in terms of the environment and human rights. The NAP 2024–27 therefore introduces a new measure to assist companies, which are involved in extracting and processing raw materials as part of the energy transition, in performing human rights due diligence. For example, there are plans to engage in multi-stakeholder dialogue with relevant sectors and hold other events in cooperation with external partners

Initial targeted actions

The NAP 2020–23 included some initial measures requiring companies operating in the extractive sector to carry out human rights due diligence. Switzerland is actively committed to supporting multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) that promote safety and respect for human rights in sensitive industries such as the extractive and private security sectors. These commitments are in line with Switzerland's foreign policy, which prioritises peacebuilding and the promotion of human rights.

Representatives from a mining company talking to local people about the impact of mining on a village in Guinea. — © FDFA

The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR) are a key MSI. These provide guidelines to extractive companies on minimising the risk of conflict and human rights abuses in mining areas. As a member of the VPSHR, Switzerland is providing technical and financial support to help the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) develop a national action plan to implement these principles. This commitment includes providing training to mining teams and local security forces on respecting human rights. Switzerland is therefore helping to build trust between local communities and companies and reduce tensions in mining areas. Respecting human rights also benefits companies by reducing reputational risks and creating a more stable climate for investment.

Sport-related measures

Respect for human rights extends beyond the digital space or extractive sector to include the world of sport. A new measure provides for the implementation of human rights due diligence in the sports sector. To help achieve this aim, Switzerland, which is home to a number of international sports federations and a founding member of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, will hold an annual dialogue enabling participants to share challenges and best practices in integrating human rights. The Human Rights Playbook is an initial resource providing guidance to sports bodies and event organisers on addressing human rights risks and implementing compliance processes.

Human rights are multidimensional and apply to many aspects of life, including business. The NAP 2024–27 includes updated and strengthened measures for the implementation and protection of human rights by Switzerland as a country, but also as a place to do business. Switzerland also has a constitutional and legal mandate to promote human rights. Switzerland promotes the implementation of human rights at multilateral level in both the real world and in digital space and is committed to ensuring responsible business conduct.