Measuring 230 global companies on their human rights performance

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed and exacerbated systemic weaknesses, inequalities and unacceptable practices throughout global value chains. With only ten years to go to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is clear, more than ever, that urgent change is needed if we are to realise the ambitions of the 2030 agenda.

Against this backdrop, the 2020 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assesses the human rights disclosures of 230 global companies across five sectors identified as presenting a high risk of negative human rights impacts. These sectors are agricultural products, apparel, extractives, ICT manufacturing and, for the first time, automotive manufacturing.

Key findings

The results show that there has been progress on previous years. A number of companies are meeting the fundamental expectations of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), with strong commitments and rigorous procedures in place. However, two significant challenges have emerged.

The first is that only a minority of companies demonstrate the willingness and commitment to take human rights seriously. The second challenge is arguably more pernicious and relates to the disconnect between commitments and processes on the one hand and actual performance and results on the other. If we are to achieve the SDGs by 2030, we need to ensure that strong commitments and management systems deliver their intended effects. Additionally, we need all companies to participate in this effort and to place people and planet above the pursuit of profit at all cost.

Key finding

The automotive sector is the worst performing ever in the CHRB

The average score for automotive companies is 12%, the lowest score ever for a CHRB-benchmarked sector. Two thirds of the companies scored 0 across all human rights due diligence indicators. These poor results suggest implementation of the UNGPs is weak across the sector.

Key finding

Too many companies are failing to meet investor expectations on human rights due diligence

In March 176 international investors sent a letter to the 95 companies that failed to score any points on the human rights due diligence indicators, calling for urgent improvement. Of those 95 companies, 79 continue to score 0 on human rights due diligence.

Key finding

A just transition is undermined by a disconnect between human rights and climate issues

The automotive companies included in the 2020 CHRB were also assessed by the Climate and Energy Benchmark. When comparing both assessments, almost no correlation could be found between a company’s relative performance on either benchmark. In the coming decades, emissions-intensive sectors, such as automotive, face the major challenge of shifting to a net zero-carbon economy while upholding the central promise of the SDGs to leave no one behind.

Key findings report

In the key findings report we give a detailed briefing on the 2020 results. Find the key findings, overall results, the results by industry and more.

Find out how the companies performed

Go to ranking

The 230 most influential companies

In agricultural products, apparel, automotive manufacturing, extractives and ICT manufacturing.

Locations

Title: TE Connectivity
Place: Switzerland
Description:
Title: Teck Resources
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: Tesco
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Tesla
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Texas Instruments
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Coca-Cola Company
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Gap Inc.
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: The Hershey Company
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: The TJX Companies
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Tokyo Electron
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Total
Place: France
Description:
Title: Toyota Motor Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Tyson Foods
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: UltraTech Cement
Place: India
Description:
Title: Under Armour
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Unilever
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: VF Corporation
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Volkswagen
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: Vulcan Materials Company
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Walmart
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Wesfarmers (Kmart and Target Australia)
Place: Australia
Description:
Title: Western Digital
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Wilmar International
Place: Singapore
Description:
Title: Woodside Petroleum
Place: Australia
Description:
Title: Woolworths Group
Place: Australia
Description:
Title: Yili Group
Place: China
Description:
Title: Youngor Group
Place: China
Description:
Title: Yum! Brands
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Zhejiang Semir Garment
Place: China
Description:
Title: POSCO
Place: South Korea
Description:
Title: Pou Chen Corporation
Place: Taiwan, China
Description:
Title: Prada
Place: Italy
Description:
Title: PTT
Place: Thailand
Description:
Title: Puma
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: PVH Corporation
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Qualcomm
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Ralph Lauren Corporation
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Renault
Place: France
Description:
Title: Repsol
Place: Spain
Description:
Title: Rio Tinto
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Rosneft
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: Ross Stores
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Royal Dutch Shell
Place: Netherlands
Description:
Title: SAIC Motor
Place: China
Description:
Title: Salvatore Ferragamo
Place: Italy
Description:
Title: Samsung Electronics
Place: South Korea
Description:
Title: Sasol
Place: South Africa
Description:
Title: Saudi Aramco
Place: Saudi Arabia
Description:
Title: Seven & I Holdings
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Severstal
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: Shenzhou International
Place: China
Description:
Title: Shoprite Holdings
Place: South Africa
Description:
Title: Siam Cement (SCG)
Place: Thailand
Description:
Title: SK Hynix
Place: South Korea
Description:
Title: Skechers
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Skyworks Solutions
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: SONY
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Starbucks
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Subaru
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Suncor Energy
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: Suntory Beverage & Food
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Surgutneftegaz
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: Suzuki Motor Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Sysco
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: TSMC
Place: Taiwan, China
Description:
Title: Tapestry
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Target Corporation
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Tata Motors
Place: India
Description:
Title: Tatneft
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: LafargeHolcim
Place: Switzerland
Description:
Title: Lam Research
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Largan Precision
Place: Taiwan, China
Description:
Title: Lindt & Sprüngli
Place: Switzerland
Description:
Title: LPP
Place: Poland
Description:
Title: Lukoil
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: Lululemon Athletica
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: LVMH Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton
Place: France
Description:
Title: Macy's
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Mahindra and Mahindra
Place: India
Description:
Title: Marathon Oil
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Marks & Spencer
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Mazda Motor Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: McCormick
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: McDonald's
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Microchip Technology
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Micron Technology
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Microsoft
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Mondelez International
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Monster Beverage
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Mr. Price
Place: South Africa
Description:
Title: Murata Manufacturing
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Nestle
Place: Switzerland
Description:
Title: Newmont Corporation
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Next
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Nike
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Nintendo
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Nippon Steel Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Nissan Motor Company
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Nokia
Place: Finland
Description:
Title: Nordstrom
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Nornickel
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: Novolipetsk Steel
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: Nvidia
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: NXP Semiconductors
Place: Netherlands
Description:
Title: Occidental Petroleum
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
Place: India
Description:
Title: OMV
Place: Austria
Description:
Title: Page Industries
Place: India
Description:
Title: Panasonic Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: PepsiCo
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Pernod Ricard
Place: France
Description:
Title: Petroleo Brasileiro (Petrobras)
Place: Brazil
Description:
Title: PetroChina
Place: China
Description:
Title: Phillips 66
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Ford
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Freeport-McMoRan
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Gazprom
Place: Russia
Description:
Title: Geely
Place: China
Description:
Title: General Mills
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: General Motors Corporation (GM)
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: George Weston (Weston Foods & Loblaw)
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: Gildan Activewear
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: Glencore
Place: Switzerland
Description:
Title: Great Wall Motor Company
Place: China
Description:
Title: Groupe PSA
Place: France
Description:
Title: Grupo Mexico
Place: Mexico
Description:
Title: Guangzhou Automobile Group
Place: China
Description:
Title: Hanesbrands
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: HeidelbergCement
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: Heilan Group
Place: China
Description:
Title: Heineken
Place: Netherlands
Description:
Title: Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)
Place: Sweden
Description:
Title: Hermes International
Place: France
Description:
Title: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Hitachi
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (Foxconn)
Place: Taiwan, China
Description:
Title: Honda Motor Company
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Hormel Foods
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: HOYA Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: HP
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Hugo Boss
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: Hyundai Motor Company
Place: South Korea
Description:
Title: Industria de Diseño Textil (Inditex)
Place: Spain
Description:
Title: Infineon Technologies AG
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: Inpex
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Intel
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Kellogg's
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Kering
Place: France
Description:
Title: Kerry Group
Place: Ireland
Description:
Title: Keyence Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Kia Motors Corporation
Place: South Korea
Description:
Title: Kirin Holdings
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Kohl's
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Kraft Heinz
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Kroger
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Kweichow Moutai
Place: China
Description:
Title: Kyocera Corporation
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: L Brands
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Brown-Forman Corporation
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Burberry
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: BYD
Place: China
Description:
Title: Canadian Natural Resources
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: Canon
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Capri Holdings
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Carlsberg
Place: Denmark
Description:
Title: Carrefour
Place: France
Description:
Title: Carter's
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Chevron Corporation
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation Limited (Sinopec)
Place: China
Description:
Title: China Shenhua Energy
Place: China
Description:
Title: Chongqing Changan Automobile Company
Place: China
Description:
Title: Cisco
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC Group)
Place: China
Description:
Title: Coal India
Place: India
Description:
Title: Coles Group
Place: Australia
Description:
Title: Columbia Sportswear
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Compass Group
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Conagra Brands
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: ConocoPhillips
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Constellation Brands
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Corning
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Costco
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Daimler
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: Danone
Place: France
Description:
Title: Dell
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Devon Energy Corp
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Diageo
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Dongfeng Motor Group
Place: China
Description:
Title: Ecopetrol
Place: Colombia
Description:
Title: ENEOS Holdings
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Eni
Place: Italy
Description:
Title: EOG Resources
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Equinor
Place: Norway
Description:
Title: Ericsson
Place: Sweden
Description:
Title: Exxon Mobil
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: SACI Falabella
Place: Chile
Description:
Title: FamilyMart Co., Ltd
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Fast Retailing
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: FAW Car Company
Place: China
Description:
Title: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Foot Locker
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Adidas
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: Aeon
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: Ahold Delhaize
Place: Netherlands
Description:
Title: Alimentation Couche-Tard
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: Amazon
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Amphenol
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Analog Devices
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Anglo American
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: Anheuser-Busch InBev
Place: Belgium
Description:
Title: Anhui Conch Cement
Place: China
Description:
Title: Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group
Place: China
Description:
Title: ANTA Sports Products
Place: China
Description:
Title: Apple
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Applied Materials
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: ArcelorMittal
Place: Luxembourg
Description:
Title: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
Place: United States of America
Description:
Title: Asahi Group
Place: Japan
Description:
Title: ASML
Place: Netherlands
Description:
Title: Associated British Foods
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: BAIC Motor
Place: China
Description:
Title: Barrick Gold Corporation
Place: Canada
Description:
Title: BHP Group
Place: Australia
Description:
Title: BMW
Place: Germany
Description:
Title: BOE Technology Group
Place: China
Description:
Title: BP
Place: United Kingdom
Description:
Title: BRF
Place: Brazil
Description:
Title: Broadcom
Place: United States of America
Description: