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

Antiapoptotic effect of PCM-DM.

<p>(A) To evaluate the effect of PCM-DM on the apoptosis of MCECs, serum was removed from the culture medium to induce apoptosis. TUNEL staining was performed to evaluate DNA fragmentation during apoptosis after 24, 48, and 72 h. Scale bar: 50 µm. (B) The percentages of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells were evaluated (<i>n</i> = 3). The experiment was performed in duplicate. *<i>p</i><0.01.</p

Effect of PCM-DM on the promotion of cell proliferation and migration.

<p>(A+B) To test the proliferative potential, the MCECs cultured on the PCM-DM were immunostained with 5-ethynyl-2 Click-iT^® EdU Imaging Kits, and the percentages of EdU-positive cells were evaluated after 24 h of incubating with 10 µM EdU. The experiments were performed in duplicate. Scale bar: 100 µm; *<i>p</i><0.01. (C) The MCECs were seeded at a density of 5.0×10³ cells/well. The proliferation of the MCECs was evaluated by a BrdU incorporation assay after 24 h of incubating with 10 µM BrdU. The experiment was performed in duplicate. *<i>p</i><0.01. (D+E) The MCECs were cultured for 14 days after reaching confluence, and the monolayer cells were wounded by scratching. After 12 and 18 h, the wound distance was quantified by Image J software (<i>n</i> = 10). The experiment was performed in triplicated. *<i>p</i><0.01; scale bar: 200 µm.</p

Preparation of pericellular matrix prepared from human decidua-derived mesenchymal cells (PCM-DM) for culture substrate.

<p>(A) Schematic of the structure of human fetal membrane (FM). Human FM consists of three main layers: amniotic, chorionic, and decidual membranes. (B) Representative phase-contrast image of human decidua-derived mesenchymal cells (DMCs). The human decidual tissues were isolated from the FMs. The DMCs were isolated from the decidua and cultured with DMEM/F-12 (1:1)-based culture medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) (scale bar, 200 µm). (C) The procedure for preparation of the PCM-DM from the DMCs. The DMCs were plated at a density of 3.5×10⁴ cells/cm² onto the culture plate coated with 0.1% gelatin and cultured for 3 days after reaching confluence. They were then lysed with deoxycholate solution (0.5% sodium deoxycholate in 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0). PCM-DM coated dishes stored under semidry conditions at 4°C for less than 8 months were used for the experiments. (D) The DMCs were plated at a density of 3.5×10⁴ cells/cm² onto Corning^® Transwell^® inserts coated with 0.1% gelatin and cultured for 3 days after reaching confluence, and then lysed with deoxycholate solution. PCM-DM was evaluated by fibronectin and collagen 4 staining (scale bar, 50 µm).</p

Characteristics of cultivated HCECs on PCM-DM.

<p>(A) An image of corneal endothelium of a normal human subject was obtained by in vivo contact specular microscopy. Scale bar: 100 µm. (B) The HCECs (passage 3) were passaged on the PCM-DM and on the control culture dish and cultured for 30 days to form a monolayer sheet. Representative phase contrast images are shown. Scale bar 100 µm. The experiments were performed in triplicate. (C) The HCECs were passaged on the noncoated plate (control), collagen 1, collagen 4, fibronectin, and PCM-DM and cultured for 30 days. The cell densities of the HCECs were evaluated by KSS-400EB software. The experiments were performed in triplicate. (D) ZO-1 and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase at the plasma membrane was stained in the HCEC culture on the PCM-DM and on the control culture plate. Scale bar 50 µm.</p

Feeder-Free Generation and Long-Term Culture of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Pericellular Matrix of Decidua Derived Mesenchymal Cells

<div><p>Human ES cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are usually generated and maintained on living feeder cells like mouse embryonic fibroblasts or on a cell-free substrate like Matrigel. For clinical applications, a quality-controlled, xenobiotic-free culture system is required to minimize risks from contaminating animal-derived pathogens and immunogens. We previously reported that the pericellular matrix of decidua-derived mesenchymal cells (PCM-DM) is an ideal human-derived substrate on which to maintain hiPSCs/hESCs. In this study, we examined whether PCM-DM could be used for the generation and long-term stable maintenance of hiPSCs. Decidua-derived mesenchymal cells (DMCs) were reprogrammed by the retroviral transduction of four factors (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, c-MYC) and cultured on PCM-DM. The established hiPSC clones expressed alkaline phosphatase, hESC-specific genes and cell-surface markers, and differentiated into three germ layers in vitro and in vivo. At over 20 passages, the hiPSCs cultured on PCM-DM held the same cellular properties with genome integrity as those at early passages. Global gene expression analysis showed that the GDF3, FGF4, UTF1, and XIST expression levels varied during culture, and GATA6 was highly expressed under our culture conditions; however, these gene expressions did not affect the cells’ pluripotency. PCM-DM can be conveniently prepared from DMCs, which have a high proliferative potential. Our findings indicate that PCM-DM is a versatile and practical human-derived substrate that can be used for the feeder-cell-free generation and long-term stable maintenance of hiPSCs.</p> </div

In vivo differentiation of hiPSCs generated on PCM-DM at early and late passages.

<p>hiPSC-PCMDM-induced teratomas were excised from mice and processed for H&E staining. Clone 1, iPS-DMC72-PCMDM01; Clone 2, iPS-DMC72-PCMDM02. Early, passage 12; Late, passage 23; Scale bar = 100 µm.</p

In vitro characterization of hiPSCs generated on PCM-DM.

<p>A) Quantitative RT-PCR analysis for the mRNA copy number of four transgenes (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, c-MYC). All the transgenes were silenced in two hiPSC-PCMDM clones. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. Clone 1, iPS-DMC72-PCMDM01; Clone 2, iPS-DMC72-PCMDM02; Early, passage 8; Late, passage 30; *: not detected. B) Quantitative RT-PCR analysis for hESC marker gene (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, c-MYC, NANOG) expression at early (passage 8) and late (passage 30) culture times compared with hESCs (clone KhES1). Data are presented as the mean ± SD. C) Immunocytochemistry for NANOG (red) and OCT4 (green) expression in hiPSC-PCMDM clones. Clone 1, Early (passage 10), Late (passage 22); Clone 2, Early (passage 11), Late (passage 25). Scale bar = 200 µm. D) Flow cytometry analysis for hESC-specific surface antigens (SSEA-3, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, and TRA-1-81) at early (passage 10) and late (passage 30) culture times in comparison with parental DMCs and hESCs (KhES1). Clone 1, iPS-DMC72-PCMDM01; Clone2, iPS-DMC72-PCMDM02.</p

Increased GATA6 expression in 201B7 on PCM-DM with StemPro medium.

<p>A) Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of OCT4 and GATA6 for 201B7 cultured on PCM-DM with MEF-CM or StemPro medium. “+number” indicates the passage number after reseeding on PCM-DM. Statistical significances are determined by Scheffe’s test after two-way ANOVA. Results of comparisons among groups of medium within each passage are shown (*, P<0.01). B) Morphology of 201B7 cultured on PCM-DM with MEF-CM or StemPro medium. Scale bar = 500 µm.</p