Every year on 10 December we commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the UN General Assembly in 1948. The day is recognised globally to promote awareness of human rights, highlight their importance, and encourage governments, businesses, and individuals to uphold human rights principles.
Human Rights Day is a reminder to consider how our workplaces, products, and services impact people’s lives.
Human rights aren’t just legal obligations, they show up in how we hire and support staff, choose suppliers, design customer experiences, and engage with our communities.
Embedding human rights into your business not only prevents harm but also builds stronger teams, deeper trust, and more sustainable social impact.
Why Human Rights Matter in Business
“Respect for human rights, respect for the dignity of every person, is at the very core of … sustainable development.” – John G. Ruggie
How we choose to do business can affect employees, customers, suppliers and their teams, and the communities in which they operate. Globally, governments, investors, and civil society increasingly expect businesses to operate responsibly and sustainably – with respect for human rights at the core.
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, set the global standard for managing human rights impacts. The framework rests on three pillars:
- The State duty to protect human rights
2. The business responsibility to respect human rights
3. Access to remedy for victims of business-related harm
Australia has committed to implementing the UNGPs, with examples including the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth), which requires large entities to report annually on their efforts to prevent modern slavery in supply chains. The Australian Human Rights Commission plays a key role in supporting businesses to adopt these principles and advance ethical, inclusive practices [Read more]
Practical Steps for Businesses
A good starting point to uphold human rights, in the context of your business, is to better understand the impact your operations have on all stakeholders, including employees, contractors, customers, suppliers, and community partners. Identify potential risks to your people as well as opportunities to create positive social and organisational frameworks. Organisations can assess their human rights performance using recognised frameworks and certifications, such as B Corp certification, which evaluates social and environmental practices, or SA8000 for ethical labour standards. For a lower-cost or no-cost option, businesses can undertake free human rights audits to assess risks across supply chains and operations.
Next, review workplace policies on inclusion, fairness, accessibility, and safety, and make sure they are documented, up-to-date, and clearly communicated. If gaps exist, create a simple policy or one-page code of conduct to set clear expectations. Building ethical supply chains is critical: identify key suppliers, engage them in conversations or short questionnaires about workplace practices and human rights policies, and address any concerns that come up while doing your due diligence.
Human rights risks for business owners often include labour exploitation, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, lack of accessibility, and unethical practices by suppliers or contractors. Mitigation strategies include conducting human rights due diligence, maintaining an open dialogue with stakeholders, embedding inclusion and wellbeing into daily operations, and requiring suppliers to commit to clear standards. Regularly assess your impact on customers and communities, identify potential risks, and commit to practical changes that reduce harm and enhance inclusion. Finally, document and track all actions, set measurable goals, and schedule follow-ups throughout the year. This keeps human rights visible in your operations, mitigates risk across your business ecosystem, and ensures continuous improvement.
Learning from Social Enterprises Leading with Human Rights
Many social enterprises already integrate human rights into their daily operations by focusing on fair employment, equitable access, culturally safe practices, or ethical sourcing. Social enterprises are uniquely positioned to champion human rights because their mission is already centred on social purpose. Get started by:
Listening to Community Voices in Decision-Making
Actively engage employees, customers, suppliers, and local communities to understand their needs and perspectives. Embed this feedback into policies, programs, and product development to ensure decisions respect and represent the wider community.
Being Transparent About Social Impact and Evaluation
Share clear, measurable outcomes of your social impact initiatives. Regularly report on progress, successes, and challenges, so stakeholders can hold the enterprise accountable and trust that human rights are being upheld through everyday business practices.
Prioritising Ethical Practices Over Convenience
Make decisions that uphold fairness, equity, and respect for human rights. This includes sourcing responsibly, ensuring fair labour practices, and avoiding shortcuts that could harm people or communities.
Building Genuine Community Relationships, Not Just Transactional Business
Foster long-term, collaborative partnerships with communities, suppliers, and stakeholders. Move beyond transactional interactions to create mutual benefit, trust, and social value, for everyone involved.
These are human-centred practices that strengthen businesses, not just legal obligations.
The National Human Rights Act Campaign
Australia is one of the few democracies without a national Human Rights Act (HRA). Introducing one isn’t just about government accountability – it’s an opportunity for businesses to thrive while respecting people’s rights.
The Advantages of a National Human Rights Act:
- It will set clear expectations for fair, ethical treatment of employees, customers, and communities.
- It will boost business credibility by aligning operations with human rights standards and international best practices.
- It will promote inclusivity and equality, from accessibility for people with disability to gender equity and protection for marginalised groups.
- It will create transparency and accountability, providing clear pathways for addressing human rights concerns.
Companies that embrace human rights proactively can navigate compliance with confidence, by building a culture of integrity that drives long-term success.
Human Rights Day is not just a reflection – it’s a chance to take practical steps that protect people and strengthen your business ecosystem.
Impact Business School Initiative
Many Australian businesses – especially social enterprises – are built on the idea of creating a positive impact for people and communities. Yet, many still face challenges when it comes to understanding and applying human rights laws in business practice.
For this reason the development of an educational resource has been commissioned by Social Enterprise Australia as part of the Australian Government’s Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) to help build sector capability and grow social impact. Impact Business School is leading the design and delivery of the resource, in collaboration with Catalysr. This project will create an educational resource to help businesses:
- Understand Australian human rights laws and obligations
- Apply these laws in everyday business (e.g., preventing discrimination, bullying, harassment, exploitation, and modern slavery)
- Strengthen workplaces that respect safety, dignity and wellbeing
- Support the social enterprise movement’s commitment to people, place, and planet
Join Our Upcoming Event
Leading up to Human Rights Day, join Impact Business School, in collaboration with the Human Rights Law Centre, and the Australian Human Rights Commission, for an interactive discussion exploring human rights as a core value and practice of social enterprise.
