IPIECA announced today that it has joined the European Commission advisory group developing guidance on business and human rights.

The European Commission initiative, launched last year as part of a revised European corporate social responsibility strategy, aims to produce human rights guidance across three industry sectors, including oil and gas, information and communications technology and employment and recruitment agencies.

IPIECA will join a Sector Advisory Group coordinated by two non-governmental organizations serving as technical advisors to the European Commission initiative, the Institute for Human Rights and Business and the Shift Project. The European Commission aims to complete the guidance in late 2012.

IPIECA is also actively engaged in a number of key global forums devoted to business and human rights. IPIECA members contributed technical expertise at a conference on business and human rights sponsored by the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 7-8 May in Copenhagen. Members also participated in the a public consultation held by the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights on 10 May in Geneva.

For further information please see the press release.