Sweden

The Swedish NAP includes measures related to whistle-blowers, but none on human rights defenders.

2 The corporate responsibility to respect human rights [page 14]

“In keeping with the UN Guiding Principles, businesses’ human rights efforts are expected to include the following main points: …

Reporting …

• Introduce guidelines on internal whistleblowing”

3 Access to remedy [page 17]

Companies’ own redress mechanisms

“No ready-made model exists for how a company should best organise its own grievance redress mechanism. It is for each company to assess what is appropriate on the basis of its specific circumstances. Some criteria include: …

• Processes for internal whistleblowers, for follow-up on whistleblowing concerns and protection of whistleblowers”

Annex: Measures taken [page 21]

Regulations and legislation

• “The Inquiry on protection of workers who blow the whistle on various unsatisfactory conditions, irregularities or offences submitted its report on 20 May 2014 (Swedish Government Official Reports 2014:31). The Inquiry proposes a new labour law act strengthening the protection provided to whistleblowers. Under the act, workers who have suffered reprisals for whistleblowing will be entitled to damages. The Inquiry’s proposals have been circulated for comment.”