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NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma College of Law’s Herman G. Kaiser Chair in International Law, Professor Evelyn Aswad, recently attended the White House’s launch of the U.S. government’s first ever National Action Plan (NAP) on Responsible Business Conduct (RBC). RBC is a concept that promotes positive contributions of businesses as well as emphasizes ways companies can avoid and remedy potential adverse human rights and other impacts of their operations.
Following President Barack Obama’s announcement in 2014 to develop an RBC NAP for U.S. companies operating abroad, OU Law hosted consultations to discuss the contents of the NAP among potential stakeholders, including companies, tribal representatives, civil society, academics and U.S. government officials from the State Department, Commerce Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Students from Aswad’s International Business & Human Rights class participated in the consultations and produced the official summary of the meetings, which can be found here.
“At OU Law, we offer our students unrivaled training and unique opportunities in the rapidly evolving area of law and policy at the intersection of international business and international human rights law,” said OU College of Law Dean Joseph Harroz Jr. “We are delighted to be a leader among law schools in this cutting-edge field.”
Prior to attending the launch event, Aswad participated in the State Department’s Stakeholder Advisory Board, which is a subcommittee of the Department’s Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy, and is responsible for providing recommendations on the implementation of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises, which promotes business practices that respect human rights.
“The business and human rights field is dynamic and growing and has the potential to make significant positive impacts throughout the world,” said Aswad. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the national dialogue on this topic.”
To learn more about the National Action Plan, click here.
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