About the CORE

Mandate of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise

This is our mandate:

• encourage companies to follow the UN Guiding Principles and the OECD Guidelines
• advise Canadian companies on ways to create responsible business practices and policies
• look into complaints about possible human rights abuses from people, organizations, and communities when the complaints involve Canadian companies that work outside Canada in the garment, mining, and oil and gas sectors.
• look into complaints that started after May 1, 2019 or before then but are still going on
• offer informal mediation services
• let the Minister of International Trade know about any matters that relate to their mandate, including issues about the practices and policies of Canadian companies working outside of Canada 

Order in council

The Order in Council sets out how the CORE will operate.

• Order in Council - Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise

Our vision

A world where Canadian companies respect human rights when they work outside Canada. They do so because it is best for people, for business, and for Canada. At the CORE we work with other organizations to help people and communities. We work together to support Canadian companies where they work around the world to strengthen their respect for human rights.

We commit to recommending remedies that reflect Canada’s respect for human rights wherever Canadian companies work in garment, mining, and oil and gas.

As an ombud, we work to resolve human rights complaints. Our work is independent, transparent, and accountable; we listen to all sides and we make our processes fair.

CORE fact sheets

• What is the CORE?
• How does the CORE look into possible human rights abuses?
• What does the CORE do if it finds there was a human rights abuse?
• What are human rights?
• Who has human rights?
• What is a human rights abuse?
• How does the CORE protect a person’s information?
• What does the CORE do to respect a person’s decisions?
• What is a Canadian Company?
• What does the CORE do to help Canadian companies protect human rights?

More information

• Frequently asked questions