Transnational corporations and human rights : the tortuous search for responsibility in an unfair and unsustainable globalization.
![](https://revistas.uptc.edu.co/public/journals/28/cover_issue_734_es_ES.jpg)
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to critically examine the obvious gaps in international law in terms of holding transnational corporations accountable for the commission of serious human rights violations. Faced with the great challenge presented by the systematic impunity of these legal entities, the only answer may be to regulate their activities. This being the case, on the one hand, this brief analysis proposes that the requirement of responsibilities to companies must come both from the international order (and not only through soft-law mechanisms such as the UN Guiding Principles, but through binding norms derived from an international treaty), as well as from the internal one, through national laws. And together with this new regulation that is emerging in some States, a bold judicial exercise is required both by national courts and by an International Criminal Court whose Statute deserves to be reformed.
Keywords
Transnational companies, Corporate responsability, Guiding Principles, National Action Plans, Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Author Biography
José Elías Esteve Moltó
Profesor Titular de Derecho Internacional Público y Relaciones Internacionales Director del Máster de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Justicia Internacional Universitat de València, España
References
- Adeola, R. (2017). “Why the African Union must press ahead with a business and human rights policy”, The conversation, 8 mayo, en http://theconversation.com/why-the-african-union-must-press-ahead-with-a-business-and-human-rights-policy-75712.
- Arenal Lora, L. (2020). “La comisión de crímenes contra la humanidad por empresas transnacionales y la ampliación de la competencia rationae personae de la Corte Penal Internacional”, Deusto Journal of Human Rights, nº 6, pp. 13-41.
- Artens, J. & Seitz, K. (2016). The Struggle for a UN Treaty. Towards global regulation on human rights and business. Global Policy Forum/Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Berlin, Bonn, New York, disponible en https://www.globalpolicy.org/images/pdfs/UN_Treaty_online.pdf.
- ASEAN. (2017). ASEAN conduct training on the linkages between business activities and human rights”, Bangkok, 21 noviembre. Recuperado de: http://aichr.org/press-release/asean-conduct-training-on-the-linkages-between-business-activities-and-human-rights/.
- Bakan, Joel. (2004). The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power. New York: Free Press.
- Baxi, U., (2010). "Writing about impunity and environment: the ‘silver jubilee’ of the Bhopal catastrophe", Journal of Human Rights and Environment, vol. 1, nº 1, pp. 23-44, p. 39, disponible en http://www.elgaronline.com/view/journals/jhre/1-1/jhre.2010.01.02.xml.
- Burma Campaign, UK. (2008). Dirty list, Londres. Recuperado de http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/dirty_list/dirty_list_details.html.
- Bernaz, N. (2017) The Moment of Truth Has Come – US Supreme Court to Decide whether the Alien Tort Statute “Categorically Forecloses Corporate Liability”, Rights as Usual, 3 abril, recuperado de: http://rightsasusual.com/?p=1140.
- Business and Human Rights Resource Centre. (2018). “Canada creates independent Ombudsperson & multi-stakeholder advisory body to strengthen responsible business conduct abroad”, 25 enero. Recuperado de: https://business-humanrights.org/en/canada-creates-independent-ombudsperson-multi-stakeholder-advisory-body-to-strengthen-responsible-business-conduct-abroad.
- Dale, John. (2011). Free Burma: Transnational legal action and corporate accountability, University of Minessota Press.
- Cervera Vallterra, M. (2016). “La fragilidad de la República Democrática del Congo: Problemas y soluciones a la posesión de recursos minerales”, Revista electrónica de estudios internacionales (REEI), Nº. 31.
- Debouzy, A. (2017). “Censure partielle, mais sévère, par le Conseil Constitutionnel, de la loi relative au devoir de vigilance des sociétés mères et des entreprises donneuses d'ordre”, Lexology, 24 marzo.
- Deva, S. (2012). Regulating Corporate Human Rights Violations: Humanizing Business, Routledge, London/New York,
- Díaz Barrado, C.M. (2016). “Los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible: un principio de naturaleza incierta y varias dimensiones fragmentadas”, Anuario Español de Derecho Internacional, vol. 32, pp. 9-48.
- Diller, J. (2000). “Social conduct in transnational enterprise operations: the role of the International Labour Organization”, en Blanpain (ed.), Multinational Entreprises and the Social Challenges of the XXIst Century. Bulletin of Comparative Labour Relations, 37. Kluwer Law International, The Hague, London, Boston.
- ECCHR. (2016). Case report. Lafarge in Syria: accusations of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity, noviembre.
- Esteve Moltó, J.E. (2015). “La ‘gobernanza’ y control de las corporaciones transnacionales sobre los valores, objetivos y principios de la Unión Europea y sus ciudadanos”, en García Sáez, J.A. & Vañó Vicedo, R., Educar la mirada: documentales para una enseñanza crítica de los Derechos Humanos, Tirant Lo Blanch, Valencia, pp. 89-100. (978-84-9086-634-4).
- Jiménez Sánchez, J. J. (2006). “Marcos de las relaciones laborales en las empresas multinacionales: las directrices de la OCDE”, en Empresas multinacionales: su incidencia en las relaciones sociales, Cuadernos de Derecho Judicial, Consejo General del Poder Judicial, Madrid.
- Grear, A. & Weston, B.H. (2015). “The Betrayal of Human Rights and the Urgency of Universal Corporate Accountability: Reflections on a Post-Kiobel Lawscape”, Human Rights Law Review, vol. 15, pp. 21-44.
- Fikentscher, W. (1982). “United Nations code of conduct: new paths in International Law”, American Journal of Comparative Law, 30, 4, pp. 577-604.
- Hillemanns, C. (2003). “UN Norms on the responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights”, German Law Journal 4, pp. 1065-1080.
- Jägers, Nicola M.C.P. (2002). Corporate Human Rights obligations: in search of accountability, ed. Intersentia, School of Human Rights Research Series, volume 17, Antwerpen, pp. 124-128.
- Kaeb, C. (2016). “The Shifting Sands of Corporate Liability under International Criminal Law”, The George Washington International Law Review Vol 49, pp. 351-403.
- Kenney, C. (2009). “Disaster in the Amazon: Dodging “Boomerang Suits” Transnational Human Rights Litigation, California Law Review 97, pp. 857 y ss.
- Kimerling, J. (2006). “Transnational Operations, Bi-National Injustice: Chevron Texaco and Indigenous Huaorani and Kichwa in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador”, American Indian Law Review 31, pp. 445 y ss.
- Kyriakakis, J. (s,f,) “Corporations before International Criminal Courts: Implications for the International Criminal Justice Project”, Leiden Journal of International Law, 30 (1), pp. 221-240.
- Lutz, R.E. (1988). “The export of danger: a view from the developed world”, New York University Journal of International Law and Politics 20, pp. 629-677.
- Magraw, K. (2009). “Universally Liable? Corporate-Complicity Under the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction”, Minnessota Journal of International Law, vol. 18, pp. 458-497.
- Manirabona, A. M. (2011). “L’affaire Trafigura: vers la répression de graves atteintes environnementales en tant que crimes contre l’humanité”, Revue de droit internationale et de droit comparé, Vol. 88, nº. 4, pp. 535-576.
- Márquez Carrasco, M.C. (2017). “Elementos claves de la implementación de los principios rectores de las Naciones Unidas sobre empresas y derechos humanos en la Unión Europea” en Márquez Carrasco y Vivas Tesón (coord..), La implementación de los principios rectores de las Naciones Unidas sobre empresas y derechos humanos por la Unión Europea y sus estados miembros, Thomson Reuters-Aranzadi : Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, pp. 21-47.
- Márquez Carrasco, M.C. (2015). “La implementación de los principios rectores de las Naciones Unidas sobre empresas y derechos humanos por medio de los planes nacionales de acción”, Revista de responsabilidad social de la empresa, nº 20, pp. 55-87.
- Martin-Ortega, O. (2013). “La diligencia debida de las empresas en materia de derechos humanos: un nuevo estándar para una nueva responsabilidad”, Papeles El Tiempo de los Derechos, pp. 15 y ss.
- Martin-Ortega, O. (s.f.) “Public procurement as a tool for the protection and promotion of Human Rights: a study of collaboration, due diligence and leverage in the electronics industry”, Business and Human Rights Journal, Vol. 3, issue 1, pp. 75-95.
- Marullo, M.C. & Zamora Cabot, F.J. (2016). “Transnational Human Rights litigations. Kiobel’s touch and concern: a test under construction”, Papeles El Tiempo de los derechos nº 1, disponible en https://redtiempodelosderechos.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wp-1-16.pdf.
- Moon, G. (2013). “Trading in Good Faith? Importing States’ Economic Human Rights Obligations into the WTO’s Doha Round Negotiations”, Human Rights Law Review, pp. 1-41.
- Nseeuw, W. (2013). “The Rush for Land in Africa: Resource Grabbing or Green Revolution?, South African Journal of International Affairs, vol. 20, pp. 159-177.
- OCDE. (2013). Líneas Directrices de la OCDE para Empresas Multinacionales, en http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264202436-es
- OCDE. (2017). Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector, en https://mneguidelines.oecd.org/OECD-Due-Diligence-Guidance-Garment-Footwear.pdf.
- Organización Internacional del Trabajo –OIT–. (2001). Declaración Tripartita de Principios sobre las Empresas Multinacionales y la Política Social, Oficina Internacional del Trabajo, recuperado de: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/ed_emp/documents/publication/wcms_124924.pdf.
- Patel, K. & N. Nyembe. (2017). “Hacia un tratado vinculante”, Por la paz nº 30, Empresas y Derechos Humanos, febrero.
- Pigrau Solé, A. (2014). “The Texaco-Chevron case in Ecuador: law and justice in the age of globalization”, Revista Catalana de Dret Ambiental, vol. V, nº 1, pp. 1-43, disponible en http://www.rcda.cat/index.php/rcda/article/view/491.
- Pigrau Solé, A. (2009). “La Responsabilidad Civil de las Empresas Transnacionales a Través de la Alien Tort Claims Act por su Participación en Violaciones de Derechos Humanos”, Revista Española de Desarrollo y Cooperación, nº 25, pp. 113-130.
- Rigaux, F. (2002). “Toward an international criminal tribunal to adjudicate upon corporate wrongs”, Transnational Associations 53, 2, pp. 128-142. Del mismo autor, “¿Un tribunal (penal) internacional para las sociedades transnacionales?”, Informe del seminario, Les activités transnationales et la nécessité de leur encadrement juridique, Centre Europe-Tiers Monde y Asociación Americana de Juristas, Cetim /AAJ, Geneve, 2001 en http://www.cetim.ch/es/documents/esppart1.pdf.
- Sánchez Patrón, J.M: “Responsabilidad ambiental y derechos humanos: Los deberes de las empresas en el Derecho Internacional”, REEI, nº 32, diciembre 2016.
- Stiglitz, Joseph E (2007). “Multinational Corporations: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities.” Proceedings of the American Society of International Law 101, pp. 3–60.
- Thomson Reuters Foundation. (2018). “UK: Traffickers of Vietnamese women for UK nail salon serve prison time; case is the first successful prosecution under the Modern Slavery Act”, 3 de enero. Recuperado de: https://business-humanrights.org/en/uk-traffickers-who-enslaved-vietnamese-girls-for-nail-salon-jailed-under-under-the-modern-slavery-act#c166563
- UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Guidance on National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, Ginebra, noviembre 2016, disponible en http://ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/UNWG_NAPGuidance.pdf.
- Vilt, H. Van Der: “Corporate Criminal Responsibility for International Crimes: Exploring the Possibilities”, Chinese Journal of International Law, vol. 12, 2013, pp. 43-77.
- Wallace, R.M.M. y Martin-Ortega, O.: “The UN Norms: a first step to universal regulation of transnational corporations’ responsibilities for human rights?”, Dublin University Law Journal 26, pp. 304-319.
- Weilert, Katarina: “Taming the untamable? Transnational corporations in United Nations law and practice”, Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law, vol. 14, 2010, pp. 445-506, en concreto ver, pp. 491-504.
- Weissbrodt, D. y Kruger, M. (2003). “Norms on the responsabilities of transnacional corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights”, American Journal of International Law 97, 4, pp. 901-922.
- Wells, C. y Elias, J. (2005). “Catching the consciente of the king: corporate players on the international stage”, en Alston, P. (ed.): Non-state actors and human rights, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 141-175, p. 148.
- Zamora Cabot, F.J. (2016). “Kiobel vs. Royal Dutch Corp. y los litigios transnacionales sobre derechos humanos”, Derechos humanos y políticas públicas europeas, coord. por Daniel Innerarity Grau, Ignacio Aymerich Ojea, Paidós, pp. 149-166.
- Zamora Cabot, F.J. (2013). “Acaparamiento de Tierras (Land Grabbing) y Empresas Multinacionales: El Caso Mubende-Neumann”, en Papeles El Tiempo de los Derechos.
- Zamora Cabot, F.J. (2012). “La Responsabilidad de las Empresas Multinacionales por Violaciones de los Derechos Humanos: Práctica Reciente”, Anuario de los Cursos de Derechos Humanos de Donostia- San Sebastián, vol. 12, pp. 194-207.
- Zamora Cabot, F. J. (2005). “Una Luz en el Corazón de las Tinieblas: El Alien Tort Claims Act of 1789 (ATCA) de los Estados Unidos” en Soberanía del Estado y Derecho Internacional, Homenaje al Prof. J.A. Carrillo Salcedo, Universidades de Córdoba, Sevilla y Málaga, Sevilla, pp.1381-1394.
- Zolin, M. B., y Braggion, M. (s.f.). “Land Grabbing, Food Security and Energy Security in Asia: The Cases of China and India”, en http://www.wbiworldconpro.com/uploads/malaysia-conference-2013/economics/220-Maris.pdf