This article seeks to paint a picture of an emerging system of business and human rights (BHR) law by following certain developmental trends across normative, substantive and procedural realms. These trends show that there is acknowledgment for the concept of corporate responsibility for BHR, and that the lines between ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ law are becoming blurred. Through contractual and arbitral mechanisms, a binding system of law is taking shape.
At the forefront of recent trends, international arbitration is increasingly becoming a procedural venue of choice for BHR disputes. Furthermore, arbitration promises to offer an environment that will both kindle the evolution of substantive rights and permit their enforcement and effective redress. The medium, indeed, is the message.
Journal of International Arbitration