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Disruption and institutional development : Corporate standards and practices on responsible mining

Mares, Radu LU (2019) In Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights 3(1). p.375-412
Abstract
This chapter accounts for the special context of mining and discusses what “respecting” human rights means in the mining industry. The aim of the chapter is to clarify the relationship between social investments and respect for human rights in a context characterised by the disruption mining operations cause and weaker local capacities to cope with mining. Three questions are raised herein: Are social contributions part of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights under the UNGPs, and thus imperative, or are they optional, desirable, rather irrelevant or even problematic from a human rights perspective? Do industry strategies recognise institutional development as part of their social responsibility? Are there operational... (More)
This chapter accounts for the special context of mining and discusses what “respecting” human rights means in the mining industry. The aim of the chapter is to clarify the relationship between social investments and respect for human rights in a context characterised by the disruption mining operations cause and weaker local capacities to cope with mining. Three questions are raised herein: Are social contributions part of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights under the UNGPs, and thus imperative, or are they optional, desirable, rather irrelevant or even problematic from a human rights perspective? Do industry strategies recognise institutional development as part of their social responsibility? Are there operational arrangements substantiating a shift in CSR strategy or does the shift remain largely confined to rhetoric and aspirations?

The chapter examines the latest reports from five of the largest mining companies and the guidance from four organizations influential in the extractives sector. The focus is on potential shifts in industry strategy putting more emphasis on local institutional capacities and holistic solutions to facilitate good governance dynamics. Thus strategic shifts in four specific areas are analysed: water management, security provision, contributions to development, and revenue transparency. The chapter finds that institutional development is emerging as a cross-cutting dimension and thus creates opportunities for increased participation of rightholders and external actors in constructing a right-based and development-enhancing approach to mining.
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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
public international law, folkrätt
host publication
Human Rights in the Extractive Industries. Transparency, Participation, Resistance
series title
Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights
editor
Feichtner, Isabel ; Krajewski, Markus and Roesch, Ricarda
volume
3
issue
1
pages
375 - 412
publisher
Springer
ISSN
2509-2960
ISBN
978-3-030-11382-7
978-3-030-11381-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cf67aac9-e8ea-456e-bc10-0d1c2ed34e65
alternative location
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-11382-7_14
date added to LUP
2021-01-24 20:42:08
date last changed
2022-05-12 16:38:48
@inbook{cf67aac9-e8ea-456e-bc10-0d1c2ed34e65,
  abstract     = {{This chapter accounts for the special context of mining and discusses what “respecting” human rights means in the mining industry. The aim of the chapter is to clarify the relationship between social investments and respect for human rights in a context characterised by the disruption mining operations cause and weaker local capacities to cope with mining. Three questions are raised herein: Are social contributions part of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights under the UNGPs, and thus imperative, or are they optional, desirable, rather irrelevant or even problematic from a human rights perspective? Do industry strategies recognise institutional development as part of their social responsibility? Are there operational arrangements substantiating a shift in CSR strategy or does the shift remain largely confined to rhetoric and aspirations? <br/><br/>The chapter examines the latest reports from five of the largest mining companies and the guidance from four organizations influential in the extractives sector. The focus is on potential shifts in industry strategy putting more emphasis on local institutional capacities and holistic solutions to facilitate good governance dynamics. Thus strategic shifts in four specific areas are analysed: water management, security provision, contributions to development, and revenue transparency. The chapter finds that institutional development is emerging as a cross-cutting dimension and thus creates opportunities for increased participation of rightholders and external actors in constructing a right-based and development-enhancing approach to mining.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Mares, Radu}},
  booktitle    = {{Human Rights in the Extractive Industries. Transparency, Participation, Resistance}},
  editor       = {{Feichtner, Isabel and Krajewski, Markus and Roesch, Ricarda}},
  isbn         = {{978-3-030-11382-7}},
  issn         = {{2509-2960}},
  keywords     = {{public international law; folkrätt}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{375--412}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights}},
  title        = {{Disruption and institutional development : Corporate standards and practices on responsible mining}},
  url          = {{https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-11382-7_14}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}