Company responsibility to respect internationally-recognised human rights is well established in both legal and voluntary instruments and is a core element of ethical supply chains. This includes the rights of people involved in producing and processing commodities, as well as the rights and autonomy of the individuals, peoples, and communities whose lands, livelihoods, or ways of life may be affected by commodity production.
Core Principle 2.1 addresses companies’ obligations to respect internationallyrecognised human rights overall. Specific requirements are also provided regarding the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (Core Principle 2.2) and workers’ rights (Core Principle 2.3) because of the particular risk of negative impacts to these rights in agricultural and forestry supply chains.
The AFi’s Principles and guidance on human rights are in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the wider body of international human rights law on which the UNGPs draw. Consistent with the UNGPs, companies should respond to actual or potential human rights impacts in their operations, supply chains, and financial investments based on their connection to those impacts, and whether they caused, contributed to, or are linked to those impacts.
2.1 Respect for all human rights
The company commits to respecting internationally-recognised human rights.
Core Principles 2.1.1 to 2.1.10
This includes the rights of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, workers, and others who may be affected by company activities. As part of its approach to respecting all human rights, the company commits to:
2.1.1 Respect the rights set out in the International Bill of Human Rights (consisting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) and other applicable law of the country of production.
2.1.2 Conduct business consistent with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
2.1.3 Actively engage affected rightsholders and respect their rights to meaningful and effective participation in decision-making about matters that may affect them.
2.1.4 Identify and assess actual and potential human rights impacts in company operations, supply chains, and financial investments.
2.1.5 Prevent and avoid causing or contributing to adverse impacts to human rights; prevent and mitigate adverse human rights impacts linked to operations and supply chains.
2.1.6 Provide for or cooperate in providing remediation through mutually agreed procedures where adverse human rights impacts occur in company operations, supply chains, or financial investments.
2.1.7 Provide grievance mechanism(s), following the UNGP Effectiveness Criteria, that are designed and adequately resourced to address harms to human rights.
2.1.8 Avoid undermining governments’ abilities to meet their own human rights obligations.
2.1.9 Protect the security of environmental and human rights defenders, whistleblowers, complainants, and community spokespersons, and protect their confidentiality and (when requested and lawful) their anonymity.
2.1.10 Respect human rights equally for all persons—regardless of gender and without discrimination—and ensure that company measures to respect human rights consider and address the specific challenges faced by women, vulnerable persons, and marginalised groups.
2.2 Respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities
The company commits to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in their operations, supply chains, and financial investments.
Core Principles 2.2.1 to 2.2.4
This includes, among others, rights to land, culture, self-determination, self-governance, a healthy environment, non-discrimination, and full and effective participation in the decisions that affect them. As part of its approach to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the company commits to:
2.2.1 Carry out operations consistent with international human rights instruments for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.*
2.2.2 Identify and respect Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ formal and customary rights to lands, territories, and resources in the context of any company activity. This includes rights to own, occupy, use, and administer these lands, territories, and resources.
2.2.3 Ensure that, prior to any activity that may affect Indigenous Peoples’ or local communities’ rights, lands, resources, territories, livelihoods, or food security, their free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) is secured. This is done in a culturally-appropriate manner, in accordance with the traditions, norms, and values of these peoples and communities, and through the representatives and institutions they choose. If FPIC is provided, the outcome of this process is documented in an FPIC agreement that includes measures to avoid or minimise impacts and to provide just and equitable compensation and benefit sharing.
2.2.4 Take measures to provide for or cooperate in remediation through mutually agreed procedures in cases where adverse impacts to the lands, territories, or resources of Indigenous Peoples or local communities occurred in company operations, supply chains, or financial investments.
* These include the instruments listed in Core Principle 2.1 as well as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), ILO Convention 169, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), as well as any other applicable law.
2.3 Respect for workers' rights
The company commits to respecting the rights of workers in their operations, supply chains, and financial investments, and to conduct business consistent with the ILO Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy.
Core Principles 2.3.1 to 2.3.10
The company specifically commits to respect the following provisions for all workers, including employees, contractors, and temporary, seasonal, part-time, and other workers throughout all levels of the supply chain. These commitments are specified in accordance with the Operational Guidance on Workers’ Rights for each element:
2.3.1 No child labour.
2.3.2 No forced or compulsory labour.
2.3.3 Freedom of association and collective bargaining.
2.3.4 No discrimination.
2.3.5 No abusive practices or undue disciplinary procedures.
2.3.6 Legal and decent working hours.
2.3.7 Safe and healthy workplaces.
2.3.8 Living wages and fair benefits for workers.
2.3.9 Living income for smallholders and other individual producers.
2.3.10 Responsible recruitment.
Additional detail related to Core Principle 2 is available in the following Operational Guidance: