Human rights
Our commitments
Barclays defines human rights as basic entitlements which form the foundation for freedom, justice and peace.
As a global business we have clear responsibilities to support governments and civil society organisations in upholding human rights principles wherever we have a presence.
Barclays operates in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and takes account of other internationally accepted human rights standards, such as those established by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) and the International Labour Organisation Core Conventions.
Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights
Barclays is a member of Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) – a programme through which 13 international companies collaborate to develop tools and guidance for businesses wishing to integrate human rights issues into day-to-day decision-making.
Barclays joined BLIHR when it formed in 2003. The initiative is chaired by Mary Robinson, Former UN Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland. Through the initiative, the companies have participated in dialogue and discussions with a broad range of stakeholders from the legal, trade union, academic, and NGO communities. They also work closely with the UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, John Ruggie, and his team.
United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
UNEP FI is a global partnership between UNEP and the financial sector. More than 160 institutions, including banks, insurers and fund managers, work with UNEP to understand the impacts of environmental and social considerations on financial performance.
In 2007 and 2008 Barclays co-chaired the UNEP FI Human Rights Work Stream of 12 banks and asset managers which developed and launched an online Human Rights Guidance Tool for front-line lending managers. The aim is to provide lenders with a practical, simple means of identifying human rights risks in business relationships and transactions and potential relevant mitigation measures.
The Workstream also produced a CEO briefing on human rights, which clarifies how human rights relate to the activities of financial institutions and provides context and the business case around managing related risks and impacts. The briefing is also available from the UNEP FI website.
