The Protection of Internationally Proclaimed Human Rights - Case Study Example

Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Improving Compliance in Shell Businesses should “support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human right” (principle 1) and “undertake initiative to promote greater environmental responsibility” (Principle 8). To achieve compliance with the two principles, Shell can use various business practices and approaches. Shell can incorporate concern for internationally human rights into its daily business operations through creating company-level grievance mechanism through which all the company stakeholders can raise human rights concerns and have them considered. Recommendations for Protecting Internationally Proclaimed Human Rights To rigorously implement protect human rights, this report recommends that Shell puts in place a “Speak-out” Programme as a whistle blowing mechanism which will enable the employees and customers to have a confidential and independent means of expressing concerns and making complaints outside the usually established procedures. This programme will provide a means for the customer and the relatives to report all actions, which contravene human rights and will be a key element of due diligence. According to UN Global Compact “The key element of due diligence is having in place effective company-level grievance mechanisms so that employees, contractors, local communities and others can raise their concerns and have them be considered” (par. 14). The second recommendation for supporting internationally proclaimed human right entails establishment of an online compliance-training centre to ensure that the employees understand what is expected of them. Human rights will receive greater prominence in training as the employees will be properly trained in a wide range of policies as well as aspects of good practice. The training modules should contain various aspects relating to human rights expectations. The training should be compulsory for all the employees. This will ensure that human rights is not only at the heart of the governance system in theory but also in practice. Shell should use internal control questionnaires, which the managing directors of its business should complete every year to confirm that the internal controls and performance operated in the appropriate manner. The questionnaire should focus on issues of health performance and safety, human resources, community relations, and business integrity. It should contain questions on compliance with the human rights policy as well as related standards. Benefits, Challenges and Implications of the Recommendations The ‘speak out’ programme will provide a means of deterring and detecting wrongdoings, which contravene human rights. It will be an addition and independent communication channel, which will promote accountability and openness. It will also provide an important opportunity for stakeholder engagement. It will be a process for identifying, preventing and mitigating negative human rights impacts. The programme will ensure that the employee and consumer human rights are not infringed as it will offer a means of identifying, preventing and mitigating it. Shell will also be able to identify negative impact risks and avoid risk escalation. The programme will ensure that human rights are upheld in the workplace and the larger sphere of influence. A good human rights record for the company will improve business performance, as the workers will be provided with a safe and secure working environment. The company will also attract many investors leading to better performance and higher stock prices for the company. The online compliance-training center will ensure that human rights is practiced by all employees. The questionnaire will help Shell address human right issues identified in the questionnaires. They will identify the company relationships and activities, which might pose risks that, will affect human rights negatively. Recommendations for Promoting Greater Environment Responsibility To promote greater environmental responsibility, this report recommends that Shell launch a “Deep Green” programme, which will help the company address its operation on climate change with the longer-term vision of embedding environmental sustainability into the company. Currently, the company environment sustainable efforts focus on the production of more cleaner burning natural gas as well production of low-carbon bio-fuel whilst assisting to develop advance bio-fuels. The company employs specialists in social and environmental performance in its most complex projects. These endeavors are effective environmental sustainable efforts; however, there is need for a long-term vision on environment sustainability. The programme will offer a means of managing the carbon dioxide emissions and halving them within ten or twenty years in order to promote environmental responsibility. The programme should take climate change as one of its key company initiatives and implement measures for addressing climate change through managing energy consumption as well as looking for other energy efficient approaches for helping attain the carbon reduction objectives. For this initiative to be successful, Shell should address the issue internally in all its business aspects through a two-pronged approach; dealing with internal emissions through its key impact areas and activating innovative solutions for reducing its joint climate impact via dialogue with the external stakeholders, including the suppliers, customers and the community. The programme should set a challenge for reducing the carbon dioxide emissions by fifty percent and reduce its carbon footprint. To facilitate adequate focus as well as exposure to the initiative, Shell should establish a cross-divisional team who main role should be to determine plan as well as subsequent action every division has to do in order to contribute to realization of the set objectives and lead initiatives for influencing behavior and mindset changes among the company stakeholders. Other than the energy management department, the human resources, and finance departments should be involved to ensure employees engagement. The program should set quarterly targets and establish reporting and monitoring mechanisms for tracking progress. The key success factor of this initiative will be to ensure that external stakeholders are aware and engaged. The first step should be to ensure that all the employees are aware and hence the opportunity to be involved through launching a month internal awareness programmes across all the companies it is operating in. The plan should involve the local nongovernmental organizations to assist with the environmental initiative. Climate representatives should be appointed to drive the respective team or division contribution to the entire programme ambition. Benefits, Challenges and Implications of the Recommendation The ‘Deep Green’ Programme will create value for the shareholders, investors and the local community. The carbon emissions will no longer pose a big threat to the climate and hence will reduce environmental destruction. By reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the community will benefit from reduced air pollution and major direct health benefits. The programme will reduce the negative impact of the company activities to the lives of many living organizations including human beings. By alleviating the chances of environmental calamities arising from carbon dioxide emission, the company will protect itself from any future legislative or financial repercussion that would have a negative impact its profits. The company public image will be improved and this will attract investors. Implementing these recommendations might pose challenges as it will require the collaboration between all the stakeholders such as employees, principal suppliers and contractors, associated firms, and managed joint venture partners. Creating awareness of these issues and engaging the external stakeholders to make the programme a success may be difficult as they may not share similar views on environmental sustainability. It might also be difficult because of all the priorities that the stakeholders have to deal with. Internal and external communication will be important in tackling these challenges. The positive lesson learnt from these business approaches and practices is that companies can take initiative to reduce the negative impact of the company activities to the lives of many living organizations including human beings. In addition, companies can address the negative impact of climate change through embedding environmental sustainability into the company. The negative lessons learnt from the business practices and approaches is that some stakeholders may be unwilling to take part in addressing the issue of climate change and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Works Cited United Nations Global Compact. Global Compact Principle One. January, 10 2010. Web. 27 April 2013 Read More