These Guiding Principles should be understood as a coherent whole and should be read, individually and collectively, in terms of their objective of enhancing standards and practices with regard to business and human rights so as to achieve tangible results for affected individuals and communities, and thereby also contributing to a socially sustainable globalization.
These Guiding Principles are grounded in recognition of:
States existing obligations to respect, protect and ful l human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The role of business enterprises as specialized organs of society performing specialized functions, required to comply with all applicable laws and to respect human rights.
The need for rights and obligations to be matched to appropriate and effective remedies when breached.
These Guiding Principles apply to all States and to all business enterprises, both transnational and others, regardless of their size, sector, location, ownership and structure.
