Development responses to forced migration: New intersecting human rights responsibilities for business

This chapter examines the emerging human rights responsibilities of lead firms in the context of economic development responses and businesses’ shared responsibility in the governance of forced migration. It combines a business and human rights perspective with the management-informed concept of the ‘canvas ceiling’ to outline the challenges of integrating refugees into the supply chain labour force in emerging economies. This framework conceptualises the intersection between the structuring institutional, organisational, and individual barriers to decent work for refugees and the human rights responsibility of business to identify, prevent, and remedy labour exploitation in their operations in refugee host countries. A case study applies the framework to reveal the salient challenges that integrating Syrian refugees, safeguarding their rights, and achieving decent work in supply chains have presented for European garment brands sourcing from Turkey. The chapter concludes by outlining future avenues for research.