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SUMMARY:Human Rights Obligations of Multinational Corporations in Weak Sta
 tes - Nicole Janz\, PhD candidate\, Department of Politics and Internation
 al Studies
DTSTART:20101101T123000Z
DTEND:20101101T140000Z
UID:TALK27588@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Hubertus Juergenliemk
DESCRIPTION:Business engagement of multinational companies [MNCs] in devel
 oping countries is often seen highly critical: media constantly report cor
 porate human rights abuses in the oil\, footwear or clothing industries. C
 orporate social responsibility [CSR] guidelines are often portrayed as pur
 e image strategies exploiting weak regulation. However\, this paper argues
  that in developing countries where governments have few capacities to car
 ry out essential state functions\, the engagement of multinational corpora
 tions could make a positive difference regarding human rights standards. T
 hrough their corporate social responsibility strategies MNCs have potentia
 l to step in and become ‘human rights duty bearers’ when states are no
 t capable. In order to shed light on the circumstances under which compani
 es can be expected to fulfil human rights obligations\, the main question 
 is: What are the main factors influencing CSR commitment of multinational 
 companies in developing countries? To answer this question\, the paper fir
 st examines how concepts of human rights and CSR are connected\, and what 
 role companies can play in the specific setting of a developing country. I
 n the main part\, the potential of MNCs to become human rights duty bearer
 s will be discussed based a meta-analysis of qualitative studies from the 
 mining\, footwear and textile industry. Evidence from the analysis shows t
 hat four main external factors influence CSR of multinational companies: (
 1) law enforcement\, (2) NGO pressure\, (3) competition and (4) industry/b
 usiness sector. The paper brings together scattered empirical work to subs
 tantiate theoretical assumptions on CSR and therefore contributes to a cle
 arer view of CSR in developing countries.\n\nDr Jessie Hohmann\, British A
 cademy Postdoctoral Fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law
  and Junior Research Fellow at Darwin College will be the discussant.
LOCATION:Senior Common Room\, 17 Mill Lane\, Cambridge CB2 1RX
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