As member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council, India and Germany are committed to protecting human rights. This commitment is highlighted time and again through the increased initiatives, policies, legal frameworks, and regulations to reinforce responsible business practices
in their respective countries.
To ensure the protection of human rights on the national level, the National Action Plans on Business, and Human Rights (NAP) play a crucial role. Both countries have voiced their desire to increase cooperation in this regard. Despite the shared interests from India and Germany, the implementation of the NAP and responsible business regulations are at different stages for both countries. While Germany has adopted the NAP in 2016, India is at the drafting stage. The varying stages of implementation create uncertainty among Indian and German businesses operating in India looking to implement and achieve their human rights agenda and supply chains due diligence.
To address the challenges surrounding the implementation of NAP and compliance toward responsible business regulations for Indian and German businesses in India, the IGCC published the first series of its Publication on Business and Human Rights titled “Protecting Business Growth and Human Rights”.
The publication focuses on providing a comparative overview of the German and Indian National Action Plan (NAP) by providing clear information on the status of NAP for the two countries concerning the drafting, implementation, and legal enforcement. In addition, the publication briefly discusses policy instruments and frameworks with which businesses in India must be aligned to respect, protect, and provide a remedy on issues around human rights. The publication has been designed for any organisation and business leader looking to know more about Business and Human Rights.
It delivers a brief guide to companies on implementing responsible business conduct, taking references from the Indian National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC), the German NAP, and other available international instruments on business and human rights.