The purpose of this Guide is to assist oil and gas companies in implementing a due diligence process for human rights. This can be an essential part of a company’s overall risk management strategy, especially in countries where human rights issues may be more prevalent. The Guide aims to: ● clarify what constitutes a due diligence process for human rights; ● clarify the business case for a human rights due diligence process; ● support the development and/or continuous improvement of due diligence processes for human rights; and ● promote consistent approaches to the management of potential human rights issues and impacts. 1 HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS Purpose and scope of this Guide Understanding the potential human rights issues and impacts associated with business operations is especially important for oil and gas companies that may operate in countries over several decades, and where local conditions and circumstances can change. The Guide is not intended to be a prescriptive, ‘how-to’ document or to serve as a certification of oil and gas companies. Rather, companies are encouraged to use the Guide to help develop and implement a human rights due diligence process in a fit-for-purpose way with respect to their existing management systems, business processes and local operating contexts.