(Madrid,August 19, 2013). - The Spanish Business Confederation of Social Economy (CEPES) "welcomes" the draft Business Plan and Human Rights proposed by the Government of Spain. This will force large private and public capital to measure and report annually, in a public and transparent, the impact of their activities on human rigths.
"The Plan's objectives contribute to the visibility and enhance socially responsible behavior of the Spanish business (both in Spain and abroad), establishing mechanisms to assess, correct and punish, if necessary, the degree of commitment to the business activities regarding the human rigths, "said the president of CEPES, Juan Antonio Pedreño.
On the achievement of the objectives of the plan by the Social Economy, Pedreño said that "CEPES is convinced that the Social Economy enterprises meet the objectives of this plan on behalf of human rights, because they are a model business that combines economic and social returns, where decisions to take in a democratic and transparent among its members, while having a strong commitment to its territory, "added Pedreño.
CEPES also requests a comprehensive diagnosis on policy, regulatory activities and to bring to justice the Plan. It also proposes to include the identification of business experience, the tools used and their results, so that the diagnosis benchmarks include practice in companies.
The Social Economy Employers also considers it appropriate actions for the training plan embassies, sectoral offices and other agencies responsible for business internalization. In this regard, proposed include the units in the development cooperation system (Technical Cooperation Offices of AECID).
CEPES, as Patron of Social Economy, advocates corporate transparency and the Government proposes excluded from public procurement (access grant, procurement and other business benefits) to those companies who breach the Plan, so that this measure is not limited to the area of respect for human rights in conflict-affected areas .
Also requested clarification CEPES which companies will be included in the Plan because the government draft is referred to private and public capital more than 1,000 employees, while the European Commission states that companies should apply to more than 500 employees and whose balance exceeds 20 million euros or whose volume net business exceeds 40 million euros.
