Business in Emerging Markets and Human Rights- the example of worker safety in the construction sector, especially since the recovery from the world-wide economic crisis

Stephanie Jones
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Stephanie Jones: Maastricht School of Management

No 2014/37, Working Papers from Maastricht School of Management

Abstract: High rates of accidents and deaths among construction workers have marred our excitement about elegant new buildings gracing the skylines of cities in many emerging markets – but is this now a thing of the past? Will economic recovery and growth provide a new opportunity to rid the world of a modern form of slavery, or is it set to continue as before? Is there a new attitude now to the right of workers to safe working conditions, here seen through the example of the booming construction industry? This has been one of the first industries to recover from the world-wide economic malaise of the first decade of the 21st century. Workers in construction are primarily workers from emerging market countries, looking to escape poverty through gaining well-paid jobs in one of the most active, lucrative and labor-intensive areas of business. Are the health and safety standards espoused in the West accepted by the new breed of multinationals emerging in developing and fast-growing nations around the world? In the call for papers for this conference, Global Business, Emerging Markets and Human Rights: old concerns or fresh hopes? the Dean of MSM asks about the possibility of an economic recovery leading to a re-think about business ethics, improved CSR and the arrival of a new opportunity to rid the world of poverty. This prompts questions about the nature of the businesses now coming to the fore since the doom and gloom of depression, such as the construction industry, now flourishing again. Will there be a new concern with worker safety, or a continuation of the old ways?

Pages: 15 pages
Date: 2014-09
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