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Reporting violationsWe recognize the importance of havingprocesses in place to provide or enableremedy in the case of negative humanrights impacts related to business activitiesor relationships. Possible violations of theEricsson Code of Business Ethics, includinghuman rights issues, can be reportedthrough our whistleblower procedures publiclyavailable on our website. A transitionto a third party-managed whistle blowerprocess is planned for 2015 (p.16).Embedding a Human Rights frameworkSince 2011, we have been working to integratethe United Nations Guiding Principleson Business and Human Rights intoour governance framework. Since 2012we have been active with the BusinessLearning Program of the non-profit centerfor business and human rights, Shift, toembed a human rights framework acrossthe company. Our human rights due diligencecovers areas such as Sales, Sourcingand Legal Affairs. In 2014, we reviewedand further strengthened the human rightsaspects of our due diligence regardingmergers and acquisitions.UNGP’s new reporting frameworkEricsson is using the opportunity in thisreport to start applying the UNGP’sReporting Framework, launched in February2015 as the first comprehensive guidancefor companies to report on humanrights issues in line with the Guiding Principles.The Framework was developed byShift and international accountancy firmMazars. We are the first ICT company toapply the framework and also among thefirst companies to do so overall. We will bebuilding on this year’s experience in ourfuture reporting.Digital DangersEricsson was the focus of a 2014 casestudy on human rights by the Institute ofHuman Rights and Business (IHRB) in their“Digital Dangers” series. The study exploredchallenges facing network vendors, andhow they can reduce the risk of misuse oftelecommunications systems, and in particularlawful interception systems. Theanalysis of Ericsson’s salescompliance process (p.15)highlighted a number of bestpractices, including escalationof issues, and requiringend user statements as partof all sales that describeapproved uses of the productor service to help track productsand performance. Theauthors also called for governmentsto clarify rules forcompanies providing technologieswhich can be used inways that undermine respectfor human rights and to bearin mind their own duty to protectagainst human rightsabuses involving non-state actors such ascom panies. The report also highlighted theimportance of multi-stakeholder dialogue,an area in which we are deeply engaged.Case Study Number 2NOVEMBER 2014ViewpointHuman Rights Challenges forTelecommunications Vendors:Addressing the Possible Misuse ofTelecommunications SystemsCase Study: Ericsson“Ericsson’s due diligence process…pointsto processes companies can embed intooperations to give proper consideration tohuman rights risks,” the study stated.The impact of ICT on human rights is generally positive, but its increasinguse by governments and business to acquire data creates a complex interrelationship.Awareness of the risks associated with information and communicationstechnologies has grown in recent years. The indeterminate period forwhich data is stored online raises a whole set of issues, particularly for the right toprivacy. The implications of these developments are not fully or widely under stood.The ICT sector needs to do more to find a unified response to such challenges,and ideally this should be done in consultation with stakeholders includ ing civilsociety and other experts. Those dialogues are happening,and we are involved in some of them. Ericsson, and othercompanies in the ICT sector, are well served by havingdilemmas around human rights publicly discussed. Companiescannot effectively deal with these issues if they arekept secret or confidential. Ultimately, while companies caninstitute best practices and due diligence, judicial oversightis crucial. This requires the right regulatory framework withhuman rights protection at its core.”John Morrison is the Executive Directorof the Institute for Human Rights and Business.Ericsson | Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report 201413