Shift / UN Guiding Principles Reporting Database

The UN Guiding Principles (UNGP) Reporting Database is an independent, public resource developed by Shift that makes it possible to see what some of the world’s largest companies say about human rights. By shining a light on companies’ existing reporting about their human rights practices, the Reporting Database hopes to increase awareness of both lagging and leading practices, thereby incentivizing improvements that can make a real difference in the lives of people affected by business.

The Reporting Database was actively maintained by Shift thanks to generous funding by DFID through March 2020. It was developed by a team of analysts who review companies’ entire body of disclosure and map relevant information to the expectations set by the global standard of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. All information included in the Reporting Database must be publicly available. It does not include any documents, data, or other information that is only internal to the company. Each company is asked for feedback, which is incorporated based solely on its alignment with the Reporting Database’s methodology.

The Database is searchable by sector, headquarters location, salient issue, company, and question of the Reporting Framework. Drawing on that primary-source research, the Reporting Database website also includes deeply informed analyses of strengths, weaknesses, and trends in companies’ human rights reporting.

While the Database is not actively maintained, Shift is exploring the possibility of scaling it through the use of AI. Shift continues to closely follow developments in corporate human rights disclosure and provide tailored disclosure analysis to a range of businesses and institutions.