Private Sector Engagement Principles

As part of its mission to promote responsible business, the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) advises private sector entities on human rights and responsible business, including through direct engagement with private sector entities.

This engagement is based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) which state that while States have the primary Duty to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, Businesses have an independent Responsibility to Respect human rights.

Beyond this responsibility, MCRB recognises that businesses have significant potential to contribute to the increased enjoyment of human rights by supporting long-term sustainable development within their own operations and in the societies where they operate.

Additionally, MCRB refers in its work to the OECD Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct for Multinational Enterprises, and other international standards including those of the ILO and the IFC/World Bank.

All engagements between MCRB and private sector entities should be conducted based on the following mutual understanding between MCRB and the private sector entity. These constitute MCRB’s Private Sector Engagement Principles:

1. The primary objective of MCRB in its private sector engagement is to advance respect for human rights and responsible business conduct by private sector entities.
2. MCRB expects private sector entities to engage in good faith with the aim of avoiding and addressing their negative impacts on human rights and contributing to sustainable development. MCRB may discontinue active engagement with individual entities if it assesses that these are not delivering results.
3. MCRB’s advice is provided for free, on a discretionary basis, as part of MCRB’s donor funded activities, and without liability on the part of MCRB or its funders. It is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. Private sector entities are also encouraged to access expert services as appropriate.
4. MCRB screens all private sector entities ahead of potential engagements. It will not engage directly with private sector entities which are subject to international sanctions and exclusions without prior agreement with its funders.
5. MCRB will disclose the identities of the private sector entities with which it engages to its funders, and will disclose information about public engagements involving companies through the MCRB website.
6. MCRB is an impartial, independent human rights actor, and does not offer public endorsements of specific private sector entities. Furthermore, an engagement between MCRB and a private sector entity does not imply endorsement by MCRB.
7. All external communication by a private sector entity touching on its engagement with MCRB must be agreed to prior to publication. Any use of MCRB’s name or branding must also be agreed to prior to publication. All communication must be factually correct and must not indicate endorsement by MCRB.
8. MCRB publicly disseminates knowledge and experiences gained through its private sector engagements to advance human rights in the wider private sector, while respecting confidentiality where requested. MCRB also encourages private sector entities to communicate externally on how they address their human rights impacts.
9. MCRB work is guided by a human rights-based approach, and incorporates a complaints and grievance mechanism for use by anyone who believes that their human rights have been, or might be, adversely impacted by MCRB’s work. MCRB encourages all its partners to have an equivalent mechanism.

These principles were approved by the Directors of MCRB (UK) Ltd on 1 March 2022.

They will be shared with companies and published on the MCRB website.

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