Despite the enormous challenges that businesses face due to the COVID-19 crisis, they must still ensure that they respect human rights. The need for economic continuity and the respect for human rights are not trade-offs, even in times of crisis. As articulated in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the responsibility to respect rights extends to all companies, wherever they operate, “regardless of their size, sector, operational context, ownership and structure.” This means that as businesses restart operations following the lifting of lockdown measures, they must ensure the protection of all their workers.
