Law firms in the United Kingdom have taken the innovative step of drawing up their own human rights policies. Currently, no law firm in the world is believed to have a human rights policy of its own.
Three magic circle law firms have indicated that they are in the process of formulating human rights strategies. These strategies will comply with the Guiding Principles for Businesses and Human Rights (‘Guiding Principles’). The ‘Guiding Principles’ were endorsed by the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2011 and have been used as a benchmark for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies for hundreds of companies. The aim of the ‘Guiding Principles’ is to establish a global standard for addressing the adverse human rights impacts of corporate activity.
Striking a balance between corporate lawyers and human rights has proven difficult. However, this move by the top firms in the UK may act as an incentive throughout the legal world.
Click here to read an article from the International Bar Association