This book presents case studies on the human rights performance of state-owned enterprises from four Latin American and three European countries, as well as foreign investments by Chinese state-owned enterprises on these continents. State-owned enterprises are considered among some of the worst perpetrators of contamination and corporate human rights violations around the globe, both domestically and abroad. This volume examines whether companies implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and how their state owners regulate or incentivize their human rights compliance. Studies cover different sectors ranging from finance to extractives and air transport in Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, and Mexico and allow contrasts between companies from countries with different degrees of human rights regulation, including due diligence and supply chain laws. The work shows that states are rather hesitant to implement the UN Guiding Principles “leading by example.” The book will be essential reading for academics, researchers, and policy-makers working in the areas of international human rights law, comparative administrative law, and corporate social responsibility.
1. Introduction; 2. PEMEX and Human Rights: A Case Study of Mexico’s Largest State-Owned Enterprise; 3. Human Rights and environmental sustainability in the Ecuadorian National Mining Company ENAMI EP; 4. Regulation of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) in Brazil in relation to human rights; 5. Chile: Due diligence and financial inclusion policies in the state-owned Banco Estado; 6. State-owned Enterprises and Human Rights in Finland; 7. Human rights responsibilities of state-owned companies in Germany – Development cooperation and sustainability financing as case studies; 8. A Review of the Regulatory Framework Relating to Human Rights and Environmental Concerns for State-Owned Enterprises in France; 9. Chinese State-Owned Companies and Investment in Latin America and Europe; 10. Preliminary conclusions and prospects for further research
Judith Schönsteiner is a full professor at the Universidad Diego Portales, Chile. Markus Krajewski is a professor at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg and holds the chair in public law and public international law.