Updated UN Database: letter from Minister for Business to public bodies

Minister for Business Richard Lochhead has advised public bodies in Scotland to consider the UN Database of companies active in listed activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as part of their human rights due diligence processes; and ensure that they follow the Scottish Government’s Guidance on due diligence: human rights. 

From: Minister for Business Richard Lochhead

To: public bodies 

In December 2021, the Scottish Government wrote to the Chief Executives of relevant Scottish public bodies about the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) database of companies active in listed activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (“the UN Database”). That letter asked whether the public bodies had any ongoing relationship with the 112 businesses identified on the UN Database and, if so, what the nature of that relationship was. Examples of engagement considered to form an ongoing relationship included grants or other types of funding or investment, procurement, partnership or sponsorship. The letter also reminded Chief Executives about the Scottish Government’s general approach to business and human rights and about our specific Guidance on due diligence: human rights and policy guidance on procurement.

This exercise led to the identification of several businesses on the UN Database with whom Scottish public bodies had relationships. The then Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee MSP, subsequently wrote to those companies in June 2022, asking them what they were doing to cease the specific activities which had led to their inclusion in the UN Database.

An updated UN Database was subsequently published last year and can be found here. All of the companies identified by public bodies in the 2021/22 exercise remain on the UN Database, although I am aware that some have contested their inclusion.

We advise that Scottish public bodies consider the UN Database as part of their human rights due diligence processes; and ensure that they follow the Scottish Government’s Guidance on due diligence: human rights and, if applicable, their own internal guidance and processes, when entering into an investment relationship.