f. The  private sector
The increase in the private sector growth rate, the evolving role of Govern- ment and economic globalization have led to increased attention being paid to business enterprises as important actors in the human rights domain. In many ways, business decisions can profoundly affect the dignity and rights of indi- viduals and communities. There is emergent interest on the part of the busi- ness community to establish benchmarks, promote best practices and adopt codes of conduct. Governments retain the primary responsibility for human rights and it is not a question of asking business to fulfill the role of Govern- ment, but of asking business to promote human rights in its own sphere of competence. Corporations responsible for human rights violations must also be held to account.
The relationship between the United Nations and the business community has been growing in a number of important areas and the Secretary-General has called on the business community – individually through firms and collec- tively through business associations – to adopt, support and enact a set of

core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards and environmental practices. The Secretary-General has asked the relevant United Nations agen- cies to be ready to assist the private sector in incorporating those values and principles into mission statements and corporate practice. Each agency has the important task of examining the various ways of responding to corporate concerns for human rights.
For further information see: http://www.un.org/partners/