Human Rights and Business: What is Needed, what is Possible?

The human rights related responsibilities of companies have been posing new challenges to the tourism industry. Peter-Mario Kubsch, CEO of Studiosus Reisen, summarises what Studiosus is doing and going to do in order to strengthen human rights in the company's operations.

The tour operator has signed the Code of Conduct with ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), is a member of the UN Global Compact and has started an intensive process to analyse and assess the potential impacts of its operations on human rights world wide. The fields of action identified include awareness raising among business partners, including their supply chains, and human rights related provisions in business contracts, especially relating to the working conditions of staff.

Transparent and effective monitoring mechanisms need to be developed. The guests also need to be sensitised by the tour guides in charge, though according to Mr. Kubsch general awareness raising on human rights and the situation in the destinations is rather a task of political education. Sustainable solutions can be developed in participatory processes involving all stakeholders and taking conditions in the destinations into account.                                                                                                         -ck-