National Action Plans (NAPs) are an essential opportunity for holding governments accountable for the protection of human rights against abuses by corporate actors. The following resources offer a set of tools for governments, civil society, business, and other actors to engage with in advocating for or developing NAPs, as well as links to NAPs that have already been developed by several countries.
Tools and guidance for developing NAPs
National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights Toolkit
The Danish Institute for Human Rights (September 2024)
National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights Toolkit: 2024 Edition
The 2017 edition of the Toolkit is available in English, Spanish, French, and Ukrainian. The association 2017 NBA template is available in English. The 2014 edition is available in English.
National Baseline Tool on Business and Human Rights
The Danish Institute for Human Rights (launched December 2022)
This tool supports organisations working on business and human rights at the national level to conduct a baseline assessment of the status of the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) by the State.
National Baseline Tool on Business and Human Rights
Guidance on National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights
The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (November 2016)
Guidance on National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights
The Tech Sector and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights
Danish Institute for Human Rights and Global Partners Digital (July 2020)
The Tech Sector and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights
Private Security Governance and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights
DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (November 2019)
Private Security Governance and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights
Extractives and National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights
The Due Process of Law Foundation and the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (December 2017)
Extractives and National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights
Children’s Rights in National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights
The Danish Institute for Human Rights, the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (2016)
Children’s Rights in National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights
Human Rights Defenders in National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights
The International Service for Human Rights and the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (June 2016)
Human Rights Defenders in National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights
Human Rights and Business Country Guides
Assessments of existing NAPs & case studies
Danish Institute for Human Rights, Gender in National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: Where are we and where are we heading? Reflections from Peru, Thailand and Uganda, Practice Note, (March 2023)
Instituto Danés de Derechos Humanos, Género en los planes de acción sobre empresas y derechos humanos: ¿Dónde estamos y hacia dónde vamos? Reflexiones desde Perú, Tailanda y Uganda, Nota práctica (marzo 2023)
Danish Institute for Human Rights, An overview of national baseline assessments on business and human rights (February 2023)
ProDESC and the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex, Planes nacionales de acción sobre empresas y derechos humanos: un análisis comparativo de la responsabilidad empresarial (December 2022)
Danish Institute for Human Rights, Accountability in the Implementation of Business and Human Rights National Action Plans (November 2021)
Instituto Danés de Derechos Humanos, Rendición de cuentas en la implementación de planes de acción de empresas y derechos humanos (noviembre 2021)
Danish Institute for Human Rights & Diakonia, Civil Society Participation in the Development of a Business and Human Rights National Action Plan in Peru (July 2021)
Danish Institute for Human Rights & Diakonia, Civil Society Participation in Implementing the UNGPs in Zambia (July 2021)
The Danish Institute for Human Rights, Business and Human Rights National Action Plans - A Snapshot in 2020 (November 2020)
Danish Institute for Human Rights, The Kenya national action plan on business and human rights – a case study on process, lessons learned and ways forward (November 2020)
Pontifica Universidad Católica de Chile, Compilado de informes “Estudio de actualización, evaluación del Plan de Acción Nacional de Derechos Humanos y Empresas, y propuesta para la elaboración de su segunda versión” para la Subsecretaría de Derechos Humanos (November 2020)
The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM, Indonesia) and the Business and Human Rights Research Centre, National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, Lessons from State Best Practice in Protecting Citizens from the Impact of Businesses (November 2020)
Instituto Danés de Derechos Humanos, Empresas y derechos humanos en américa latina y el caribe: retos y oportunidades para la adopción e implementación de planes de acción nacionales (Abril 2019)
Scottish Human Rights Commission, Business and Human Rights National Action Plans, Comparative Review of Global Best Practice (2019) and a further Summary and Recommendations (2019)
The Danish Institute for Human Rights (November 2018)
National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: An Initial Analysis of Plans 2013-2018
Planes de Acción Nacionales de Empresas y Derechos Humanos: Un Análisis Inicial de los Planes 2013-2018
Download the data (excel)
International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR) and European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) Assessments of Existing National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights (2017)
European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies, Policy Department, Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on business and Human Rights (2017)
Policy documents on NAPs
- International Labour Organization, The linkages between international labour standards, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights (June 2021)
- Human Rights International Corner, National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: A Guidance For the Mid-term Review 2020
- GRI, Strengthening business accountability in the National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: Policy recommendations on transparency (November 2019)
- Danish Institute for Human Rights, National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: Peer Review? (November 2019)
- Shadow EU Action Plan on the Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights within the EU (non-binding and developed by the The Responsible Business Conduct Working Group (RBC Group) of the European Parliament) (March 2019)
- Danish Institute for Human Rights, Women in business and human rights, A mapping of topics for state attention in United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights implementation processes (November 2018)
- OECD (2017) National action plans on business and human rights to enable policy coherence for responsible business conduct
- Council of the European Union, Council Conclusions on Business and Human Rights, July 2016
- Council of Europe, Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)3 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on human rights and business, March 2016 and Explanatory Memorandum
- International Organization of Employers (OIE) (2015) IOE Synopsis on National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights
- Clifford Chance, Global Business Initiative on Human Rights, Briefing Paper on National Action Plans, 2015
- BSR; the Foreign Trade Association; the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights; the International Chamber of Commerce; the International Council for Mining and Metals; the International Organisation of Employers; the US Council for International Business; the UN Global Compact; and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Statement on National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, Session at the UN Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights, "National action plans to implement the UN Guiding Principles: stepping up Government commitments and action", 16 November 2015
- UN Human Rights Council (2014) Elaboration of an international legally binding instrument on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with respect to human rights and Human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises 26th Session, 10-27 June 2014, Geneva
- A workshop report from Scotland to inform the NAP process, “Securing Sustainable and Accountable Business in Europe: the role of National Action Plans (NAPs)“.
- European Commission (2011), A renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for Corporate Social Responsibility
Articles about NAPs
- Federico Chunga Fiestas, The Experience of Multistakeholder Dialogue in the Process of Elaboration of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights in Peru, Business and Human Rights Journal, 4 October 2024
- Silvia Avellaneda San Antonio, Role of Human Rights Indicators in National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: Comparative analysis of Finland and Spain, The Age of Human Rights Journal, 2023-04-11
- Marcin Kilanowski, Evaluating the Polish NAPs: Lessons for the Future Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Business and Human Rights Journal, (07 March 2023)
- O’Brien, C.M., Ferguson, J. & McVey, M. National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: an Experimentalist Governance Analysis. Hum Rights Rev (2021).
- Judith Schönsteiner, O Plano Nacional de Ação sobre Direitos Humanos e Empresas do Chile: um balanço sobre o seu impacto discursivo e real, Revista de Direito Internacional 16, no. 3, 2019 // Judith Schönsteiner, El Plan de Acción Nacional sobre Derechos Humanos y Empresas de Chile: un balance sobre su impacto discursivo y real, A PUBLICARSE EN: Franz Ebert (editor), Brazilian Journal of International Law, Special Issue on Business and Human Rights
- Diane Bulan Hampton (2019), Modern Slavery in Global Supply Chains: Can National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights Close the Governance Gap?, Business and Human Rights Journal, 4(2) 239-263
- Humberto Cantú Rivera (2019), National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: Progress or Mirage? Business and Human Rights Journal, 0(0), 1-25
- Claire Methven O’Brien (2017) In Depth: National Action Plans. Peace in Progress: Business and Human Rights, nr. 30
- Claire Methven O’Brien, et al. (2016) National Action Plans: Current Status and Future Prospects for a New Business and Human Rights Governance Tool. Business and Human Rights Journal, 1(1), 117-126.
- De Felice, D. et Graf, A. (2015) The Potential of National Action Plans to Implement Human Rights Norms: An Early Assessment with Respect to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Journal of Human Rights Practice, Volume 7, Issue 1
- Blackwell, S. et Vander Meulen, N, Two Roads Converged: The Mutual Complementarity of a Binding Business and Human Rights Treaty and National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law: Vol. 6 : Iss. 1
Other relevant websites
- Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) Home page
- Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) page on National Action Plans
- UN Working Group (UNWG) page on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises
- The Council of Europe, Online Platform for Human Rights and Business
