Canada Introduces New Corporate Social Responsibility Measures

With a pair of newly introduced tools to encourage corporate social responsibility, the federal government is seeking to expand its reach when it comes to controlling the way Canadian businesses operate abroad.  On January 17, 2018, Minister of International Trade François-Philippe Champagne announced that the government would be implementing an independent Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise and a multi-stakeholder Advisory Body, both of which will be aimed at ensuring that Canadian businesses operating in foreign countries do so in a manner that is consistent with Canada's international human rights obligations and respects the humans rights of local populations.

The Ombudsperson will be given authority to conduct collaborative and independent investigations into alleged human rights violations by Canadian businesses operating in foreign countries, make recommendations to the parties involved in disputes in an attempt to reach a resolution, and also