Leitrim County Council moves to ensure no ties with rights-abusing firms

A call was made for Leitrim County Council to adopt a rights-based Ethical Procurement Policy (EPP), ensuring they work only with companies that uphold human rights guidelines.

The motion, proposed by Cllr Róisín Kenny, called for every effort to be made to align Council tender processes with the principles of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the Global Sullivan Principles. 

These frameworks promote respect for human rights in corporate practices.

Cllr Kenny described EPP as a “positive motive” for councils engaging in commercial transactions and partnerships with businesses.

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“The initiative will ensure ethical procurement policies are in place as a framework to ensure no council in Ireland will be able to financially aid businesses and companies investing or practising in human rights abuses,” she remarked.

She also noted that the initiative would help ensure international human rights standards are upheld at the local level.

Cllr Kenny’s motion received unanimous support. “I think in light of what’s going on globally, it’s important who we’re interacting with on a daily basis,” commented Cllr Gilmartin.

In response, the Council stated that it is currently developing a comprehensive Corporate Procurement Plan. 

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As part of this process, it is considering several key priorities, including Green Procurement, Ethical Procurement, Value for Money, and Compliance with OGP Frameworks.