Content: The paper addresses the various human rights related risks and challenges for companies resulting from ASM. It also provides a practical guidance on how companies can address those issues in the framework of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Following, it lists various good practice examples and an short overview of initiatives that help companies mitigate the risks.
Year: July 2019
Language: EN
Keywords: Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), Global Supply Chains, Human Rights Due Diligence, Conflict Minerals, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), Transparency.
Abstract:
Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) produces a wide range of materials and fuels various industries. This includes jewellery production as well as the manufacturing of electronic devices, tech- nology and automobiles. However, due to the lack of human rights due diligence processes, the probability that companies that depend on mining products are involved in salient human rights violations occurring in ASM is quite high. Therefore, this short paper will shed light on human rights related gaps and challenges for companies resulting from ASM. It further provides perspectives on how companies can address those issues in the framework of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and encapsulates key events that will likely change the legal environment of the European Union and suggests follow-up actions in that regard.
Authors: Akylai Anarbeva, Theresa Quiachon, Raquel Althoff
