According to a group of independent UN experts, companies and investors the world over are turning a blind eye to human rights violations, with governments also failing in their role to enforce protective legislature. Rights violations in the garment sectors of developing nations are often cited as rife in industry research, and a new report by the aforementioned experts has urged businesses to practice ‘human rights due diligence’ to comply with the United Nations Guiding Principles.

Presented to the United Nations General Assembly, the group’s report found that there had been an increase in investors scrutinising and pressuring companies to manage human rights risks and prevent abuses, but that there was still huge potential for more to act. On government performance, the group found that, once again, while some nations are ahead of the curve on legal and policy developments, many more are lagging behind.