This is a progress report submitted in follow-up to A/HRC/8/5. Section I illustrates the Special Representative's working methods in operationalizing and promoting the "Protect, Respect and Remedy" framework. The following three sections summarize his current thinking on the three pillars and the synergies among them, pointing towards the guiding principles that will constitute the mandate's final product.

In this report titled "Business and human rights in conflict-affected regions: challenges and options towards State responses," the Special Representative sets out a range of policy options that home, host and neighboring states have or could develop to prevent and deter corporate-related human rights abuses in conflict contexts.

This report was submitted in response to Commission resolution 2005/69, which asks the Special Representative to submit an interim report that frames the overall context encompassing the mandate of the Special Representative as he sees it, outlines the general strategic approach to be taken, and summarizes the current and planned program of activities.

The UN Guiding Principles were created by the UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights in 2011 to "operationalize" the "Protect, Respect and Remedy" Framework. The report, published in March 2011, was adopted by the Council in June of the same year. The UN Guiding Principles provide an authoritative global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse impacts on human rights linked to business activity. The Guiding Principles also further clarify the meaning of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights. There are three addenda to this report:

1. Piloting principles for effective company/stakeholder grievance mechanisms: A report of lessons learned (A/HRC/17/31/Add.1)
2. Corrigendum, Summary, paragraph 5 (c) and footnote (A/HRC/17/31/Add.1/Corr.1)
3. Human rights and corporate law: trends and observations from a cross-national study conducted by the Special Representative (A/HRC/17/31/Add.2)
4. Principles for responsible contracts: integrating the management of human rights risks into State-investor contract negotiations: guidance for negotiators (A/HRC/17/31/Add.3)

This report, titled "Business and human rights: mapping international standards of responsibility and accountability for corporate acts," provides a comprehensive overview of current and evolving international standards and practices for corporate responsibility and accountability in the area of human rights. It is divided into five sections: (1) state duty to protect; (2) corporate responsibility for international crimes; (3) corporate responsibility for other human rights violations under international law; (4) soft law mechanisms; and (5) self-regulation. A companion report explains the key issues involved in conducting human rights impact assessments.There are also four addenda to this report that provide greater detail.

1. State responsibilities to regulate and adjudicate corporate activities under the United nations core human rights treaties: an overview of treaty body commentaries (A/HRC/4/35/Add.1)
2. Corporate responsibility under international law and issues in extraterritorial regulation: summary of legal workshops (A/HRC/4/35/Add.2)
3. Human Rights Policies and Management Practices: Results from questionnaire surveys of Governments and Fortune Global 500 firms (A/HRC/4/35/Add.3)
4. Business recognition of human rights: Global patterns, regional and sectoral variations (A/HRC/4/35/Add.4)

The Framework was created by the UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights in April 2008. The Framework clarifies the responsibilities of relevant actors in the business and human rights sphere. It rests on three pillars: the state duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including business, through appropriate policies, regulation and adjudication; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and greater access by victims to effective remedy both judicial and non-judicial. There are three addenda:

1. Summary reports of five multi-stakeholder consultation (A/HRC/8/5/Add.1)
2. Survey of Scope and Patterns of Alleged Corporate-Related Human Rights Abuse (A/HRC/8/5/Add.2)
3. Companion report: Clarifying the concepts of "sphere of influence" and "complicity" (A/HRC/8/16)

This report restates the key features of the "protect, respect and remedy" framework and outlines the strategic directions of the Special Representative's work to date in operationalizing the framework. There is one addendum to this report: State obligation to provide access to remedy for human rights abuses by third parties, including business: An overview of international and regional provisions, commentary and decisions (A/HRC/11/13/Add.1).

This report from the Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations details the results of the second session of the Group. The session focused upon the promotion of the Guiding Principles framework. The Group met with the EU on the potential adoption of the Principles, and assisted other organizations with the ir implementation. The Group also held a high level forum to outline the topics and theme of an upcoming Forum on Business and Human Rights. 

Following its first session in January 2012, the Working Group issued this report outlining the framework for operation and strategic future of the Group. The report outlines the context of the Group's mandate, highlights positive examples of implementing the “Guiding Principles”, and discusses the recommendations made by stakeholders. From this, the report concludes with the Working Group's preliminary strategy for its future work and its approach to engaging the relevant stakeholders.

This document provides a summary of discussions during the second annual United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights which took place from December 2nd to 4th, 2013.  Included are both side events, such as Training on the Guiding Principles, and official sessions, such as Global Implementation of the Guiding Principles and Defending Human Rights in the context of business operations in complex environments.

This report summarizes the preliminary results of the 2012/2013 survey sent to member states to learn about their efforts to implement the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.  Replies from states were treated as anonymous, though the United State has made their reply public and this response appears below.