Through the Government Engagement program, we work with individual governments to help them develop more effective policy and regulation on business respect for human rights. This work ranges across a variety of policy and regulatory areas and government departments, including individual ministries, export credit agencies and development finance institutions, independent regulators and national human rights institutions. As facilitators, we help governments engage in dialogue with companies, trade unions and civil society organizations on business and human rights topics. As advocates and experts on the Guiding Principles, we advise governments on policy and regulatory development and implementation.
Participants at a 2013 awareness raising workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, facilitated by Shift and supported by the Government of Sweden. Photo: Peder Björling
“Shift has given us unique, expert insight and tools that have enabled us to pragmatically work toward our goal of effectively implementing the UN Guiding Principles.” - Kamil Zabielski, Senior Social and Human Rights Specialist, Norwegian Export Credit Agency
As part of this program, we have worked with governmental bodies from countries including:
May 2016 | Shift and UK Equality and Human Rights Commission
This short guidance provides “need to know” information for company leaders about how to meet the UN Guiding Principles’ expectations of doing business with respect for human rights.
September 2015 | Partners: UK Equality and Human Rights Commission; UK Financial Reporting Council
This collaboration aims to improve UK-quoted company boards' and investors' understanding of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights.
July 2015 | Partners: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands
Shift is supporting the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs as part of a process to engage leading Dutch business sectors in developing sector-based covenants to address “international CSR” risks.
October 2014 | Partners: Consensus Building Institute
Over a period of several years, Shift supported several National Contact Point systems to help them better fulfill their role as part of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
June 2014 | Partners: Norwegian Export Credit Guarantee Agency (GIEK)
Shift provided expert support to the Agency in 2013 on policies, stakeholder engagement and grievance pathways related to business and human rights.
