The theme of this year's UN Human Rights Day is 'Dignity, freedom and justice for all'. To mark this day and support a future with equality at its core, Ipieca is sharing guidance which can help oil, gas and alternative energy businesses contribute to a just future for all.
Accelerating a just transition
A just energy transition will require significant economic, environmental, technical, social, infrastructure and mindset transformations. Ipieca is supporting the oil and gas industry's participation in international collaboration to transition to a lower-carbon world in a way that's just and fair for workforces, communities and consumers.
In 2022 Ipieca developed a literature review that provides insights into just transition concepts, definitions and priorities from a range of organizations relevant to the sector to raise awareness and understanding of the just transition.
Putting human rights at the heart of business
The principles of dignity, freedom and justice are at the heart of human rights. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) are essential to advancing human rights, providing a globally recognised framework for governments and companies to protect and respect human rights.
The UNGPs are an essential part of what Ipieca does. Since they were launched, Ipieca and its members have worked together to produce a suite of guidance and tools to support the industry to operationalise the UNGPs, including:
- Human rights due diligence guidance
- Community development agreements guidance
- Community grievance mechanisms in the oil and gas industry
Advancing social performance across the supply chain
The energy sector has huge global supply chains. By supporting fair and socially responsible practices across the oil, gas and alternative energy supply chain, we can help improve the lives of millions of people.
Ipieca produces practical resources to help the industry identify, manage and mitigate social risks among its suppliers, supporting fair and socially responsible practices across the oil, gas and alternative energy supply chain, including:
- Supply chain library of questionsand resources
- Labour rights risk identification in the supply chain
A human rights approach to the SDGs
Taking a human rights approach to development - one of equality, inclusion and non-discrimination - can help us deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Like the UNGPs, the SDGs recognise the important role of responsible business in achieving a fairer, more prosperous world for all.
Ipieca has worked to support the delivery of the SDGs since they were launched in 2015. In 2021, Ipieca and WBCSD launched the SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector which features specific recommendations related to fostering prosperity, good health and wellbeing across the industry workforce, supply chain and communities where the industry operates.
Since then, Ipieca has produced a report that highlights the progress we have made towards implementing the Roadmap, including how Ipieca has met impact pathways to help companies implement the goals of the UNGPs and share knowledge on the just transition.
Ipieca Principles
In 2022 Ipieca launched its membership principles for corporate and associate members as a new condition of membership. The principles set sustainability expectations for members, including ambitions on social performance which ask that members support the UNGPs and promote the health, wellbeing and social inclusion of workforces and local communities relating to operations.
The Ipieca Principles reinforce Ipieca's role to inspire action and lead the global oil, gas and alternative energy industry through a sustainable and just energy transition. We invite you to download and share Ipieca resources with your contacts, and support the journey to a fairer world for all.
