National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights 2024-2027

Objective: To raise awareness and provide training for Swiss companies on general human rights issues in order to integrate due diligence procedures into their business activities.

Activities:

· (Measure 2) Promote the UN Guiding Principles within the framework of Swiss economic promotion. This involves:

o raising awareness of human rights due diligence among federal and cantonal economic promotion agencies and chambers of commerce, including through training and guidance;

o and companies participating in trade missions are encouraged to maintain human rights due diligence in their international business activities by receiving standardized information on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles.

· (Measure 3) Integration of human rights into corporate governance and risk management. This involves:

o In cooperation with rectors of Swiss universities, students in management and economics should be made aware of the importance of respecting human rights as part of their education through targeted documentation and presentations.

o The private sector should be made aware of its legal obligations and international human rights standards through information events.

o industry dialogues, especially with priority sectors, on corporate accountability should be strengthened;

o and information on human rights due diligence and the role of company management and boards of directors should be disseminated to the private sector.

· (Measure 6) Greater consideration of women and children in due diligence procedures. To this end:

o the federal administrations' expectations that women, children, and vulnerable groups should be given special consideration in human rights due diligence should be communicated to companies and taken into account by them.

· (Measure 9 reinforced) Encourage companies with close ties to the federal government to introduce procedures for human rights-compliant business practices and to act as role models. To this end:

o Federal government-related companies that are organized as stock corporations should be supported by the federal administration and work with their boards of directors to discuss human rights requirements and promote the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles.