Environmental protection guards human rights! The global responsibility of German businesses

In the context of a project funded from its own resources, Oeko-Institut investigates how German companies fulfil their obligations to protect human rights abroad. A particular focus here is on the nexus between environmental damage and human rights, since a variety of human rights violations result from damage to the environment, for example in cases when toxic substances find their way into potable water or when the excessive use of pesticides is detrimental to human health. The project team is carrying out three case studies relating to the major stages of the value chain: the purchase, the use phase as well as the end-of-life phase. The project concludes with recommendations addressed to policy makers, companies and civil society.