KPMG International has issued a human rights statement, in-line with the UN's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This is a sign of our commitment to respecting human rights and it builds on our long-standing support for the United Nations Global Compact.
We monitor human rights impacts across our global organization as part of our Global Quality & Risk Management processes.
We also maintain a reporting mechanism, through the KPMG International Hotline, for concerns regarding KPMG member firms or personnel causing or contributing to any adverse human rights incidents.
Committed to action
Internationally recognized human rights, as set out in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, can be summarized as the basic rights that form the foundation for freedom, justice and peace, which apply equally and universally in all countries.
On 16 June 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations 'Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework' (the Guiding Principles). The 31 principles include 17 that relate to businesses, rather than governments.
In following the Guiding Principles, KPMG International, its related entities and KPMG member firms:
- undertake to avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts through their own activities, and address such impacts when they occur; and
- seek to prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts that are directly related to their operations, products or services through their business relationships.
Together with our objective to be a leader in the global economy, KPMG aims to act as a role model for the business community. One aspect of this is ethical conduct - which includes aspiring to the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact, including human rights, as expressed through KPMG’s Global Code of Conduct.
The Global Code of Conduct includes our commitments to:
- Work with clients, suppliers, and subcontractors that live up to KPMG's core ethical standards
- Act lawfully, ethically, and in the public interest
- Not tolerate behavior within KPMG, by clients or suppliers, or public officials with whom we deal, that is illegal, unethical or breaches human rights
- Champion an inclusive and collaborative culture that is free from bullying, discrimination, and harassment, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.
In addition, the policies and procedures that KPMG member firms across the globe are required to implement are consistent with the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the Guiding Principles, the International Labor Organization Core Conventions and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Guidelines for International Enterprises.
