Human Rights Act and business: friend or foe?

Prior to the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998 there were those who predicted with some trepidation that the Act would have adverse, perhaps dire, consequences for business. Twelve years after the commencement of the Act, this article examines whether those fears were justified. Key requirements of business are identified, and the impact of the Act (in respect of its influences on both public and private law) is assessed in relation to those requirements. The conclusion is that in general the Human Rights Act has not been detrimental to business and, perhaps more surprisingly, that sometimes it has led to identifiable advantages for that sector.