1. IS THERE A FEE FOR USING THE MATRIX?

There is no financial fee for using the Matrix. You will have to allocate internal resources i.e. someone within your business to lead the process plus adequate time to discuss results and make/invest in forward plans. The Human Rights Matrix has been developed with time and finance from the members of the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (2003-2009) and the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights (2009 ongoing). This enables it to be 'free ware'.


2. HOW DOES THE TOOL RELATE TO EMERGING REQUIREMENTS ON CORPORATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE IDEA OF HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE?

The Matrix does not purports to determine whether a company is effectively implementing its own policies, which would require a thorough human rights due diligence process – policy development, human rights impact assessments, business integration activities, tracking performance and providing access to remedy for stakeholders. These are procedural in nature and offer a systematic approach around an emerging global policy consensus. The Matrix simply asks what you have in place at a given moment in time that relates to the substance of international human rights.


3. HOW DOES THE TOOL RELATE TO OTHER BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS TOOLS?

The Matrix is a first-step, getting started tool that can help you identify gaps and develop a plan of action for human rights based on the results – in that sense it is a strategy tool. It is not a compliance audit. The Matrix focuses on a breadth of issues where other resources and organisations are available to support a deeper exploration and support implementation of work plans. These include:

• The Danish Institute Human Rights Compliance Assessment
• Danish Institute Country risk assessments
• The Guide for Human Rights Impact Assessment and Management
• The Guide for Integrating Human Rights into Business Practice
• The reports of the UN Special Representative to the Secretary General on Business and Human Rights


4. CAN MY COMPANY RUN MULTIPLE MATRIX PROJECTS?

Yes. In some cases, companies may want to apply the tool for one business unit or facility, as well as at group level. In future versions, this will allow comparisons. In the first instance, we encourage you to complete one Matrix.


5. CAN MULTIPLE PEOPLE FROM MY COMPANY LOGIN TO COMPLETE AND REVIEW THE MATRIX?

Yes. Please contact us to request this.


6. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THE MATRIX?

There are seven business areas and testing to date suggests that it will take approximately 2 hours to complete a business area. Including time needed for familiarization of the tool, conversations with colleagues and honing of responses, we estimate 24 hours. Please note that the answer to this question depends on the availability of data, the degree of substantiation you enter into the tool etc. Also, we encourage you to see the completion of the tool as only part of the journey. The real value is in the conversations among your colleagues (and with external stakeholders if you choose) based on the self-assessment that the tool supports you to do.


7. SHOULD I DO ANYTHING TO PREPARE BEFORE USING THE TOOL?

Before commencing the Matrix we suggest you decide at what level and breadth you are applying the Matrix. It has been primarily designed to understand what is in place for a company at a group or corporate level, so you may want to start with this. However, there is no reason why you cannot apply it to a business unit (e.g. regional or country-level), or to a specific facility. Finally, you could apply it to the demands/expectations you have of third parties (e.g vendors or business partners) – but we have not customised the tool for this purpose.

The tool will prompt you to find the relevant data and speak to colleagues. We do advise you to ensure you will have access to the correct data and individuals to enable you to make quality choices and inputs.


8. WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE THE INPUTS?

The Matrix provides and opportunity to map all of your policies, practices and initiatives related to human rights. The inputting occurs in three forms: First, you select a response of covered, partially covered, not covered or unsure in relation to Essential Steps. Second, you can substantiate your choice by making notes about the relevant policy, practice or initiative in place. Third, you can upload documents that are relevant to the same. The same type of input is required for the ‘Beyond Essential’ part of the tool.

Policies = The internal policies, codes of conduct, statements and commitments that your company has in place. These may include but not be limited to human rights, corporate responsibility and business ethics documents. For example, a Human Resources policy may be the place where commitments related to the right to non-discrimination exist.

Practices = The expected or normative behaviours within your company. These may or may not be required by any written policy.

Initiatives = The programs your company is involved in or has in place that may cover a number of issues. Most of these will relate to where your company goes ‘Beyond Essential’ and include multi-stakeholder initiatives.


9. HOW WERE BUSINESS AREAS AND SUB-AREAS SELECTED AND DEFINED?

This was informed by two processes: First, a ‘sense check’ with members of the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights with the intent of representing a set of functions (Business Areas) and issues/policy items within these (Business Sub-Areas) that best align with those in place for multi-national companies. Second, by reviewing the International Bill of Rights, ILO core conventions and ultimately, the Essential Steps, to ensure that Business and Sub-Areas that have human rights impacts/relevance were not missed during the sense check.

Please click here to read the working definitions of the Business Areas.


10. IS IT POSSIBLE TO ACCESS THE SOURCE DOCUMENT FOR THE ESSENTIAL STEPS?

Yes. Please click here to download the PDF


11. WHAT WAS THE METHODOLOGY TO DEVELOP THE ESSENTIAL STEPS?

Please click here to download the PDF with explanation


12. ARE OUR RESPONSES CONFIDENTIAL?

Yes. The administrators of the Matrix (namely the secretariat of the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights and Credit 360) could, in principle, access your responses. However, this would only happen after written agreement with you. Your company can of course choose who you wish to share the information, results and insights with.


13. HOW IS OUR DATA STORED AND PROTECTED?

Although the system itself is at the early stages of development, it is built on top of our proven credit360 application framework and security technology. This system is used by over 50 global companies to store CR and related data, and the Matrix Tool will use exactly the same security architecture to authenticate users, and store / protect their data.

All data transferred between the Flash-based Matrix front end and the credit360 servers will be sent via Secure Sockets Layer encrypted communication (HTTPS) and access to the data will be restricted, requiring a valid access token (granted only to users who authenticate themselves on our systems).

Our systems are protected by internal and external monitoring applications and we run active Intrusion Detection tools to detect and disable any security breaches. Many of our clients run Penetration Tests on our architecture and we have passed two such tests in the last three months, one from a BLIHR member. All our servers are located in a locked cage at TeleCity Redbus in London Docklands, protected by 24 hour security. Physical access is only allowed by users on a pre- defined list and only with advance notice. All of our systems are run through a standard system hardening process and are subject to a published SLA and Disaster Recovery procedures. We can supply further documentation on our Application and Technical Architecture should more information be required.


14. CAN USING THE MATRIX DIRECTLY RESULT IN INCREASED LEGAL LIABILITY OF ANY SORT?

Companies may choose to base their public statements about human rights performance on the use of the tool. When doing so, The company should take the same precautions it uses when making any public statement about the company in order to avoid confusion possible claims of misrepresentation. The use of the Human Rights Matrix does not remove the need for a company to ensure that its public statements are not misleading.

The matrix is an initial self-assessment and learning tool that enables a company to begin to understand and address its human rights performance, by identifying its policies on human rights and the approaches it has taken towards human rights. It is not a compliance audit, and does not purports to determine whether a company is effectively implementing its own policies, which would require a thorough human rights due diligence process. Rather, it serves as a starting point for more focused and rigorous inquiry. A company that wishes to make any public statements about its use of the matrix should make this point clear in order to avoid confusion.

If you are uncertain about this issue, please seek professional legal advice.

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