Private consulting firms sell your data; foundations make it public for the common good.
- Social Action: Publish the "Annual Report on Human Rights and Business in Costa Rica". Free, academic and statistical documents that are relevant to the country's reality.
Data for the Common Good: Annual Report on Human Rights and Business in Costa Rica
In the information age, access to verified and contextualized data is a fundamental right and an indispensable tool for democratic governance. While private consultancies capitalize on and restrict access to their findings, FUNDEPRODE asserts the principle that crucial human rights data must be made public for the common good.
This project establishes a Permanent Observatory focused on the critical intersection between business activity and respect for Human Rights (HR) in Costa Rica, with the annual report serving as its primary product.
Social Action: Democratizing Strategic Information
The publication of the "Annual Report on Human Rights and Business in Costa Rica" is the central component of this social action. This is not a mere compilation of news, but a piece of academic, statistical, and rigorous research that addresses the reality of the country with a depth rarely achieved by the media or state entities.
- Free and Accessible Documents: Breaking with the subscription or high-cost model of private compliance firms, FUNDEPRODE guarantees the free and open dissemination of the report through digital platforms, libraries, and civil society networks.
- Relevance to the National Reality: The report focuses on the specific systemic violations and challenges in Costa Rica, such as:
- Analysis of Environmental and Labor Due Diligence in infrastructure megaprojects.
- Impact of tourism activity on the territorial and cultural rights of indigenous and coastal communities.
- Evaluation of compliance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by major transnational corporations operating in the country.
The Ethical Contrast: FUNDEPRODE vs. Private Consultancies
The value of this report lies in its independence and its non-commercial purpose.
|
Aspect |
Private Data Consultancies |
FUNDEPRODE (Social Action) |
|
Purpose |
Sale of data and consulting. Profit generation. |
Defense of the common good. Generation of public knowledge. |
|
Access |
High cost, restricted to clients and corporate stakeholders. |
Free and open access (Open Source Research). |
|
Audience |
CEOs, Investors, Legal Directors (emphasis on risk). |
HR Defenders, Judges, Legislators, Academics, Journalists, Communities. |
|
Focus |
Emphasis on legal and reputational risk for the company. |
Emphasis on rights violations and state/corporate responsibility. |
Impact and Utility for the Common Good
The Annual Report becomes a strategic action tool for Costa Rican society and the international community:
- Foundation for Legal Advocacy: Provides HR lawyers and defenders with the statistical and academic evidence needed to strengthen strategic lawsuits, constitutional appeals (amparos), and complaints against companies or state inaction.
- Reference for Public Policy: Offers legislators and high-ranking officials objective data to design and approve more robust laws concerning labor protection, environmental safeguarding, and indigenous consultation.
