Safeguarding human rights
BP recognizes that our operations can have potential impacts on the rights of our employees and those who live in the communities around our operations
We support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and our human rights guidance document outlines expectations on the management of human rights in BP’s operations. We have embedded our commitment to respect human rights through various policies and practices. For example, BP’s code of conduct outlines our commitment to fair employment and equal employment opportunity. It also makes explicit our expectations that employees should deal with governments and suppliers with integrity, and indicates our intent to engage in open and transparent dialogue and consultation with communities.
We are working towards an environmental and social practice document which includes requirements to consider issues such as indigenous people’s rights, involuntary settlement and worker welfare. A human rights guidance document outlines expectations on the management of human rights in our operations.
We are working towards an environmental and social practice document which includes requirements to consider issues such as indigenous people’s rights, involuntary settlement and worker welfare. A human rights guidance document outlines expectations on the management of human rights in our operations.
Assessing potential suppliers
We are currently working towards developing more common processes for assessing suppliers and qualifying them to work with us. This is intended to cover issues relating to human rights as well as employment conditions and diversity.This process is informed by our experience in China where we have already begun to screen potential suppliers to examine their human rights practices. Companies being considered as potential suppliers are sent questionnaires that cover working conditions and any supplier being considered for approval is inspected through an on-site audit. If a supplier fails to meet the standards required, the audit team will notify the buyer within BP not to proceed with the business.
In 2008 we audited 25 potential suppliers and rejected five for social compliance or safety issues. The principles and practices learned in China have been incorporated in a global common sourcing process which is being implemented across BP starting in the first quarter of 2009.
Protecting human rights within significant agreements
Several of BP’s significant investment agreements include provisions on human rights. For example, the bilateral security protocol for our operations in Azerbaijan ensures that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Code of Conduct for law enforcement officials, and the United Nations basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials are part of the legal framework for our Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil project, the Shah Deniz gas project, the South Caucasus gas pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. We also agreed with the government of Azerbaijan that this bilateral security protocol will extend the application of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights to all the assets there for future operations.At the Tangguh LNG project in Indonesia, a commitment to follow human rights principles and procedures that are consistent with the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human rights is included in the Joint Security Guidelines, an agreement signed with the Papuan police.
The Voluntary Principles were developed by the US and UK governments working with companies in the extractive and energy sectors and non-governmental organizations. They are intended to guide companies in maintaining the safety and security of their operations within an operating framework that ensures respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. BP, as one of the founding members of the Voluntary Principles, continues to seek to improve implementation in locations where there are potential human rights risks associated with the security arrangements for our business.
Attestation
The information on this page forms part of the information reviewed and reported on by Ernst & Young as part of BP's 2008 sustainability reporting.
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Our commitment to integrity, defining what is expected of every BP employee
BP is progressive, responsible, innovative and performance driven
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