Abstract:
Businesses have the responsibility to exhibit their commitment in respecting human
rights. This responsibility is tagged under the human rights due diligence (HRDD) process,
which identifies and acts upon human rights violations for employees. This study aims to
recognize issues in how employers address human rights-related risks, explain how the
implementation of HRDD affects employee relations, and establish a connection between HRDD
practices and employee relations in the food service industry of Laguna, Philippines. This study
follows the exploratory research and case study methods, and convenience sampling was used to
pick five (5) interview participants, who are all business owners, and twenty-two (22) survey
respondents, who are all employees of the said owners.Data was analyzed through transcription
and thematic analysis, and ethical considerations were strictly followed. Results suggest that
human rights due diligence processes are fairly implemented in restaurants in Laguna. There are
also no major issues regarding human rights violations of their employees and other stakeholders
in terms of discrimination, freedom of speech, and compensation in such businesses.
Furthermore, it can be inferred that human rights due diligence practices in businesses positively
affect employee relations. Businesses belonging to the food service industry in Laguna are aware
of their obligation to respect human rights and the action steps that must be taken to prevent
human rights-related issues. Furthermore, this study is recommended to businesses, human rights
organizations, governments, and the academe. Awareness on the current context of HRDD in the
Philippines can be extended to these beneficiaries to further the cause of human rights in the
workplace, and legal implications can be explored.
