About the National Action Plan on Business & Human Rights (NAP)

Switzerland’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP) 2020-2023, endorsed by the Federal Council in January 2020, reaffirms the country’s commitment to implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). The focus lies on the concept of human rights due diligence for both public and private economic activities.

The NAP outlines 35 measures to implement the UNGP, to be coordinated by relevant federal bodies.

Evaluation

How well has the NAP been implemented by federal agencies and how have communication measures reached companies?

We evaluated this with the University of Zurich and Good Rechtsanwälte GmbH. The report, including the federal government’s statement, has now been published. We are pleased that the federal government has accepted many of our recommendations and is examining their implementation.

Findings

Four priority areas have been identified:

  1. Enhancing coherence: This emphasizes how stronger links between policy areas and instruments could enhance the visibility of government efforts and stakeholder involvement.
  2. Considering future action areas: The NAP should concentrate on significant issues and sectors where human rights gaps exist and risks are most prominent.
  3. Improving leverage and impact assessment: A results-oriented measurement of goals and actions, and a better integration of human rights concerns within the economic landscape, are deemed necessary.
  4. Strengthening support for all stakeholders: Involvement and support for all parties, including training initiatives and clear communication of expectations for companies, are deemed essential.

Establishing a “Focal Point on Business and Human Rights” to aid and advise stakeholders is proposed. Equally crucial is enhancing redress mechanisms for affected parties and a stronger focus on practical guidance for companies.

The plan envisages that a National Baseline Assessment (NBA) could provide crucial insights for future actions. Enhanced education on topics such as human rights due diligence and risk analysis is recommended, especially for companies of varying sizes and experience backgrounds.

The NAP thus focuses on improved coherence, strategic prioritization, results-oriented actions, and comprehensive stakeholder support to promote the observance of human rights within the economic sphere.

Find out more

  • Download the report here.
  • Federal government statement including the most important findings: here.
  • About our Business and Human Rights services: here