The relevance of human rights on business activities
of technology companies cannot be
understated. Technology's pervasiveness in our lives
posits critical questions of privacy, data protection, freedom of
speech etc. If violated, human rights can become a significant
business risk that entails potential legal, financial and
reputational harms. With rising State intervention and
public scrutiny, tech companies cannot escape the need to engage
with human rights. In this regard, good governance models are key
to successfully navigating the terrain of human rights at the
intersection of business.
The United Nations Global Compact (Global
Compact) also prescribes steps
for businesses to proactively engage with human
rights.1 Apart from policy commitments, companies
should conduct human rights due diligences (HRDDs)
and human rights impact assessments (HRIA) to
track and mitigate their human rights impact.
