Qatar Attaches Great Importance to Respect of Human Rights in Business Sector

Geneva, May 30 (QNA) - The State of Qatar has affirmed that it attaches great importance to respect of human rights in particular in the business sector. This came in a speech delivered by the Third Secretary of Qatar's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Jassim Al-Maawda, before the 23rd session of the Human Rights Council under item (3) entitled "Panel discussion on the Business and Human Rights Agenda by the United Nations System." The State of Qatar has paid special attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR) since 2009 by holding a series of conferences, which laid foundation the business sector's contribution in the advancement of the Qatari society; most recently the Fourth Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility, which concluded in Doha, Qatar yesterday, Al-Maawda said. The State of Qatar is seeking to enhance the culture of corporate social responsibility in order to adopt the best practices by the Qatari business community in line with the protection and respect of human rights through the implementation of several social projects aimed at achieving sustainable development according to Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030. The adoption of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 2011 would emphasize the role of the United Nations system to provide the guidelines aimed at the implementation of the UN "Protect, Respect and Remedy" Framework for Business and Human Rights. The Guiding Principles establish an authoritative global standard on the respective roles of businesses and governments in helping ensure that companies respect human rights in their own operations and through their business relationships. (QNA)