CONSTRUCTION

Workers involved in construction often face multiple risks of abuse.

Complex supply chains and multiple layers of subcontracting pose major challenges to transparency and accountability. Migrant construction workers in particular are vulnerable to wage theft, hazardous workplaces, and forced labour.

Click the overarching and stage-specific principles below to review the guiding questions across this stage. These questions will help you to identify the main human rights risks and opportunities and develop a tailored action plan.

Overarching
principles

All human rights standards are upheld

Everyone has the opportunity to participate and engage meaningfully

Trade unions and civil society can operate freely

All decisions are free from corruption

Environmental

stage specific
principles

Construction workers’ rights are respected in all tiers of contracting

Buildings are structurally safe

Construction minimises emissions and pollution

The construction process and the sourcing of materials avoids or minimises carbon emissions and pollution from harmful gases, noise, dust, solid and liquid waste.

Tackling climate change is essential for the fulfilment of human rights. Recognising the need for joint climate and social action, the Framework offers high-level environmental considerations but avoids details, given the abundance of existing climate and environmental frameworks, which include:

BREEAM
BREEAM Infrastructure (formerly CEEQUAL)
LEED
Passivhaus
DGNB
Envision
Circular Economy Principles
IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
GRESB