Bridging the great divide? Making sense of the human rights-CSR relationship in UK multinational companies

Human rights (HR) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are both fields of knowledge and research that have been shaped by, and examine, the role of multi-national enterprises in society. Whilst scholars have highlighted the overlapping nature of CSR and HR, our understanding of this relationship within business practice remains vague and under-researched. To explore the interface between CSR and HR, this paper presents empirical data from a qualitative study involving 22 international businesses based in the UK. Through an analysis based on sensemaking, the paper examines how and where CSR and HR overlap, contrast and shape one another, and the role that companies’ international operations has on this relationship. The findings reveal a complex and multi-layered relationship between the two, and concludes that in contrast to management theory, companies have bridged the ‘great divide’ in varying degrees most notably in their implementation strategies

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De novo copy number variations (CNVs) identified in the 1210B2 iPSC-derived NSPCs. (XLSX 39 kb

Abnormal histone-protamine transition found in the <i>Jmjd1C</i> ^<i>gt/gt</i> testis.

<p>Testis sections of littermate 4-month-old +/+ (a-e) (stage XI) and gt/gt (f-j) testis were immunostained with anti-acetylated histone H4K16 (a, f) or double-stained with anti-acetylated histone H4K16 (c, h) and anti-PRM1 (d, i). (b, g, e, j) represent DAPI staining of the corresponding fields. Scale bars in (a) for (a, b and f, g) and in (c) for (c-e and h-j) are 100 μm and 50 μm, respectively.</p

QRT-PCR analyses of SSC related genes between the +/+, +/gt, and gt/gt testes.

<p>Single-stranded cDNA was prepared from the +/+, +/gt and gt/gt testes of adult (2-month-old) littermate mice. Expression levels of selected genes related to spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) characteristics were compared. The values with SEM (n = 4) were the relative gene expression values in the +/+ testis (set as 1.0) after standardization with the β-actin expression level in each testis.</p

Co-localization of the JMJD1C, MDC1, RNF8 and HSP90 proteins in spermatogenic cells.

<p>Each section of a wild-type adult testis (4-month-old) was double-stained with antibodies against MDC1 and JMJD1C (a-c), SCP3 and JMJD1C (d-f), SCP3 and MDC1 (g-i), and MDC1 and HSP90α (j-l). Particles strongly stained with anti-JMJD1C (e) and anti-MDC1 (h) found in SCP3-positive spermatocyte nuclei are XY bodies. (f) and (i) are merged images of (d+e) and (g+h), respectively. (c) and (l) are DAPI stained images of (a, b) and (j, k), respectively. Scale bars in (a) for (a-c), in (d) for (d-i), and in (j) for (j-l) are 50 μm, 25 μm and 50 μm, respectively.</p

Two transcript variants in the <i>Jmjd1C</i> gene-trap allele.

<p>Schematic representation of the <i>Jmjd1C</i> exon/intron constructs of the long-form (XM006513035.1) and short-form (XM001242396.1) variants. The blue box shows a SA-β-geo cassette integrated within the intron. The antibody (Ab) epitope site used in this study, the nuclear receptor (NR) binding region and Jmj-C domain coding region, are indicated.</p

Apparent loss of NANOG/OCT4-expressing cells (putative SSCs) in the <i>Jmjd1C</i> ^<i>gt/gt</i> adult testis.

<p>A) Sections of littermate +/gt (a-d) and gt/gt (e-f) adult testes (4-month-old, stage XII) were stained with anti-NANOG. DAPI staining images corresponding to each immunostaining are shown in (b, d, f). Magnification of the broken line-edged frame indicated in (a) was shown in (c, d). B) Sections of littermate +/gt (a, b) and gt/gt (c, d) adult testes were stained with anti-OCT4. C) X-gal staining of the +/gt seminiferous tubules (a). Magnification of the broken line-edged frame indicated in (a) was shown in (b). Arrows indicate positive-stained cells attached to the basement membrane. Scale bars, 50 μm. D) Immunoblots of the +/+ and gt/gt testis extracts were double-stained with anti-VASA and anti-OCT4, and the resulting VASA (83 kDa) and OCT4 (52 kDa) bands were shown.</p

QRT-PCR analyses showing differences in gene expressions between the +/+, +/gt, and gt/gt testes.

<p>Single-stranded cDNA was prepared from the +/+, +/gt and gt/gt testes of adult (2-month-old) littermate mice. Expression levels of total <i>Jmjd1C</i> (short + long variants) and selected spermatogenesis marker genes were compared. The values with SEM (n = 4) were the relative gene expression values in the +/+ testis (set as 1.0) after standardization with the β-actin expression level in each testis.</p

Detection of hypo-acetylated K16 on histone H4 in the <i>Jmjd1C</i> ^<i>gt/gt</i> testis.

<p>Approximately 15 μg protein extracts from +/+ and gt/gt testes (postnatal day 56 littermates) were applied on SDS-PAGE (10–20% gradient gel) and blotted onto membranes. A) The membranes were reacted with a mixture of three antibodies against HSC70t, histone H3 (H3) and acetylated H4K16 (H4K16Ac) (left) or four antibodies against VASA, MOF, histone H3 and acetylated H4K16 (right) and then detected with HRP-conjugated anti-IgG and an ECL detection reagent. Specific reactant of each antibody used in this mixed immunoblotting is shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163466#pone.0163466.s005" target="_blank">S5 Fig</a>. B) Comparison of the detected protein bands between the +/+ and gt/gt extracts. C) Semi-quantitative comparison of the acetylated H4K16 bands between the +/+ and gt/gt testes extracts. Values obtained from the +/+ and gt/gt testes were normalized with those of the histone H3, VASA and HSC70t protein bands, which roughly corresponded to the numbers of total cells, germ cells at stages from spermatogonium to late spermatid, and spermatids, respectively. Bars in the graph show relative ratios (%) of values of the H4K16ac band in gt/gt against those in +/+ after normalizing with values of standard protein bands as indicated below. Error bars indicate the SEM (n = 4–6).</p

JMJD1C expression in mouse testicular germ cells.

<p>A) X-gal staining (a) and immunostaining with anti-β-galactosidase (b) in cross-sections of adult <i>Jmjd1C</i>^<i>+/gt</i> mouse testes (4-month-old). The adult testis (4-month-old) sections (tubules at the stage VII and X) were immunostained with anti-JMJD1C (c) and DAPI (d). Scale bars, 100 μm. B) Spermatocyte nuclei were prepared from cells dissociated from adult testis and stained with anti-JMJD1C (a), anti-SCP3 (b), DAPI (c) and a merged image (d). Spermatids were also stained with anti-JMJD1C (e) and DAPI (f). Scale bar in (a) for (a)-(f), 10 μm.</p