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strong>Room XIX [clear filter]
Monday, November 25
 

9:00am CET

BHR informal dialogues: Just Transition
Monday November 25, 2024 9:00am - 9:40am CET
The newly introduced BHR Informal Dialogues will offer an open, dynamic platform for inclusive and in-depth discussions on critical issues within the Business and Human Rights (BHR) agenda. These sessions are structured to encourage autonomous, participant-led conversations without formal speakers or panelists, fostering a free-flowing exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives. The aim is to create a collaborative space where all participants can directly engage with one another, enabling meaningful dialogue that promotes deeper understanding of key issues.

By encouraging active participation from all participants, the BHR Informal Dialogues seek to ensure that a broad range of voices contribute to shaping the future of business and human rights practices. This format prioritizes diversity of views and backgrounds, creating a space where different stakeholders can share insights, experiences, and best practices in a flexible and open environment.

Topics for Discussion: The BHR Informal Dialogues will focus on a range of pressing topics, including:
  • Just Transition: Discussing how businesses can play a role in facilitating a fair and equitable transition to sustainable practices.
This informal and interactive space is open to everyone and is designed to spark collaborative thinking, drive solution-oriented discussions, and contribute to advancing the global BHR agenda.

Each Interactive dialogue will be facilitated by one or two people to ensure effective and inclusive dialogue. The facilitators will guide the discussion, assist in maintaining a balanced conversation, and ensure that all voices are heard. This structure will help both facilitators and participants to ensure a free-flowing exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives.

There will be no interpretation provided.
Monday November 25, 2024 9:00am - 9:40am CET
Room XIX

10:00am CET

1:20pm CET

Networking hubs: Financial Institutions
Monday November 25, 2024 1:20pm - 2:40pm CET
The Networking Hubs will provide an open platform designed to facilitate exchanges among diverse groups of stakeholders on the Business and Human Rights (BHR) agenda. These spaces are structured to encourage autonomous, participant-led conversations without formal speakers or panelists, fostering a free-flowing exchange of experiences and perspectives. The aim is to create a collaborative peer learning space within stakeholders, where each stakeholder group can directly engage with one another, fostering meaningful dialogue. 

The format of these spaces leverages the networking essence of the Forum, offering a flexible and open environment for different stakeholder groups to share best practices, challenges, and innovative proposals.  

Stakeholder groupsThe Networking Hubs will focus on a range of pressing topics, including: 
  • Financial Institutions: Exploring responsible investment practices and their impact on human rights. 

No interpretation will be provided. 

Monday November 25, 2024 1:20pm - 2:40pm CET
Room XIX

3:00pm CET

A smart mix of measures to leverage the contribution of financial actors to a just transition
Monday November 25, 2024 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Session co-organized by the Working Group on business and human rights, the Investor Alliance for Human Rights and Principles for Responsible Investment

Interpretation available in English, French and Spanish

(Version française ci-jointe)
(Versión en español adjunta)


Brief description of the session:
A just transition refers to the transition to a green and zero-carbon economy that is fair and inclusive, creates decent work opportunities, reduces poverty and inequalities and upholds the human rights of workers, including in the informal sector, and affected communities, in particular Indigenous Peoples and populations affected by environmental degradation and energy poverty, through social dialogue and meaningful participation in decision-making including on the use of land and natural resources (See A/78/155). Thus, a just transition includes environmental, social, economic, climate change and human rights aspects. Just transition programmes will require adequate and appropriate financing from the private sector, including contributions from the financial sector (like institutional investors and banks). Some States have started introducing a few financial incentives and regulatory measures for businesses and investors to enable a just transition. However, regulatory gaps remain.

Beyond financing and investing in environmentally sustainable business and projects, financial sector actors have various forms of leverage they can exercise to push businesses and States to support sustainable business practices and a global economy. These include stewardship activities targeting investees or responsibly advocating for the creation of an enabling environment, and government incentives and public-private partnerships that address the environmental and social risks inherent to this transition. These all have strengths and limitations. Further, investors and banks must overcome environmental, social and governance (ESG) silos in approaches to sustainability, as a just transition necessitates understanding how environmental, sustainable development and human rights impacts are inextricably intertwined.

Key objectives of the session:
In a complex landscape, a smart mix of both good guidance and targeted regulation plays a role in maximizing the leverage of financial actors to contribute to a just transition. With a focus on renewable energy, and critical energy transition minerals, the panel will discuss key recommendations around how a smart mix of measures, both on sustainable finance and for the real economy, can be implemented to ensure effective policy and finance sector action towards the just transition.

Key discussion questions:
  • What leverage can the financial sector and States bring to bear in the transition to a green economy?
  • How are those forms of leverage impactful and what are their limitations?
  • How can a smart mix of regulatory and voluntary measures and incentives help overcome those limitations and enable a just transition? 

Background to the discussion
Monday November 25, 2024 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Room XIX

4:40pm CET

Raising the Bar through Climate Change Litigation
Monday November 25, 2024 4:40pm - 6:00pm CET
Session co-organized by the Working Group on business and human rights and the Office for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Interpretation available in English, French and Spanish

(Version française ci-jointe)
(Versión en español adjunta)


Brief description of the session: 
The use of litigation to achieve progress on climate change and human rights has nearly tripled since the Paris Agreement was reached in 2015. More recently, in 2022 the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 76/300, recognising “the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right”. This recognition followed the UN Human Rights Council resolution 48/13 which acknowledged the right in October 2021. As activists and civil society organizations are increasingly seeking to hold States and businesses accountable for their role in contributing to the multiple planetary crises and related harm to human rights, including those of future generations, climate litigation is being used as a tool to influence policy outcomes or change corporate behaviour. Climate litigation has shown its potential to lead to a smart mix of measures to address climate change and uphold human rights by strengthening regulation, incentives, policies, corporate practices, and benchmarking. This has in turn led to an increased emphasis on the role of businesses, including their need to conduct human rights due diligence with environmental dimensions. While some emerging multistakeholder initiatives are trying to tackle these issues, the question remains of how States and businesses can better collaborate with civil society organizations and other stakeholders to raise awareness and increase implementation of human rights-respecting frameworks in the context of climate change.      

Key objectives of the session: 
  • Provide an overview of climate change and human rights litigation globally and regionally. 
  • Set out the case and evidence for putting climate change and human rights into the boardroom, through the lens of a human rights-based economy.  
  • Highlight opportunities and benefits for States and businesses to accelerate their actions on climate change and human rights, by addressing commonly perceived barriers.  
  • Discuss tangible steps on how different stakeholder groups and rightsholders can move forward to ensure the effective promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, including implementation.  
 
Additional background documents: 

Monday November 25, 2024 4:40pm - 6:00pm CET
Room XIX
 
Tuesday, November 26
 

9:00am CET

BHR informal dialogues: Development Finance Institutions
Tuesday November 26, 2024 9:00am - 9:40am CET
The newly introduced BHR Informal Dialogues will offer an open, dynamic platform for inclusive and in-depth discussions on critical issues within the Business and Human Rights (BHR) agenda. These sessions are structured to encourage autonomous, participant-led conversations without formal speakers or panelists, fostering a free-flowing exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives. The aim is to create a collaborative space where all participants can directly engage with one another, enabling meaningful dialogue that promotes deeper understanding of key issues.

By encouraging active participation from all participants, the BHR Informal Dialogues seek to ensure that a broad range of voices contribute to shaping the future of business and human rights practices. This format prioritizes diversity of views and backgrounds, creating a space where different stakeholders can share insights, experiences, and best practices in a flexible and open environment.

Topics for Discussion: The BHR Informal Dialogues will focus on a range of pressing topics, including:
  • Development Finance Institutions (DFIs): Assessing the role of DFIs in promoting business practices that respect human rights.
This informal and interactive space is open to everyone and is designed to spark collaborative thinking, drive solution-oriented discussions, and contribute to advancing the global BHR agenda.

Each Interactive dialogue will be facilitated by one or two people to ensure effective and inclusive dialogue. The facilitators will guide the discussion, assist in maintaining a balanced conversation, and ensure that all voices are heard. This structure will help both facilitators and participants to ensure a free-flowing exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives.

There will be no interpretation provided.
Tuesday November 26, 2024 9:00am - 9:40am CET
Room XIX

10:00am CET

Do National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights Work in the Asia-Pacific?
Tuesday November 26, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CET
Session organized by the Working Group on Business and Human Rights 

Brief description of the session: 
After a decade of implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), national action plans on business and human rights (NAPs) have increasingly become a mainstay in efforts to promote business and human rights (BHR) in the Asia-Pacific region. Thus far, nine countries have adopted a NAP or similar document. But as civic spaces continue to recede in this region, are these NAPs truly enough to help ensure that business-related human rights abuses are being systematically addressed and prevented? How can NAPs be implemented in ‘hard’ places to ensure that ‘rights-washing’ – whereupon NAPs simply become a box-ticking exercise for States and businesses – does not happen? Will real implementation only happen once mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) measures are put in place? And how can the third pillar of the UNGPs – access to remedy – be better integrated into the design and execution of these plans?

This session brings together experts and practitioners of BHR to assess the effectiveness of NAPs in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as discuss the progress made and challenges that remain in terms of their implementation. Further, speakers will reflect on positive practices that should guide how NAPs are developed, implemented, and enforced. The session will be conducted in a ‘fireside chat’ format, such that speakers are asked to provide frank responses to a series of trigger questions and interactive engagement with the audience will be prioritized.

Key questions: 
  • To what extent are the NAPs that have been developed or which are developing in the region aligned with the UNGPs and other key international instruments such as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct and the ILO’s MNE Declaration and International Labour Standards?
  • How can genuine multi-stakeholder dialogue and participation, including of stakeholders at the grassroots level, be effectively ensured in NAP development and implementation processes?
  • When should NAPs be updated and revised? Are there good practices or lessons learned that can be drawn upon in the revision of the NAPs?
  • How can ‘rights-washing’ be prevented in the development and implementation of NAPs in the Asia-Pacific region?
  • How can we know if a NAP has succeeded or failed?

Additional background documents:
 
Tuesday November 26, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CET
Room XIX

11:40am CET

‘Smart Mix of Measures’ and Implications of European Legislative Developments in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Tuesday November 26, 2024 11:40am - 1:00pm CET
Session co-organized by the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, the Polish Institute for Human Rights and Business (PL), Y. Mudryi National Law University (UA), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)  
 
Interpretation provided in EnglishChinese and Russian. 

Brief description of the session:

Central and Eastern European and Central Asian countries are increasingly taking action to address the adverse impacts of business activities on people and the environment. This trend is being amplified by their varying levels of integration with the European Union—whether as EU member states, countries aspiring for accession, or due to close economicpolitical and other ties. With the adoption of EU regulations, particularly the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), due diligence requirements in the EU AI Act and CoE Framework Convention on AI and Human Rightsas well as national human rights due diligence requirements in countries like France and Germany, Central and Eastern European and Central Asian countries are facing new expectations. 

This session will explore the practical implications of these recent European legal developments on how business is done in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders. It will focus on how governments are adapting their domestic legal frameworks to align with the new legally binding standards, and how businesses are preparing to meet these new obligations, particularly regarding enhanced human rights due diligence, how AI could be used in human rights due diligence. Furthermore, the session will examine how rights holders in the region can leverage these regulatory developments to ensure their rights are respected and to access effective remedies. 

Key objectives of the session: 
  •  Exchange insights on the challenges faced by businesses and governments in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia as they work to meet the new European regulatory requirements, share methodologies for implementation, emerging practices and common mistakes.  
  •  Discuss how rights holders, including workers, worker organizations, and civil society groups, can use these regulatory changes to promote better models at national level, demand accountability and access remedies for human rights abuses within the region. 
Tuesday November 26, 2024 11:40am - 1:00pm CET
Room XIX

1:20pm CET

Networking hubs: Academia
Tuesday November 26, 2024 1:20pm - 2:40pm CET
The Networking Hubs will provide an open platform designed to facilitate exchanges among diverse groups of stakeholders on the Business and Human Rights (BHR) agenda. These spaces are structured to encourage autonomous, participant-led conversations without formal speakers or panelists, fostering a free-flowing exchange of experiences and perspectives. The aim is to create a collaborative peer learning space within stakeholders, where each stakeholder group can directly engage with one another, fostering meaningful dialogue. 

The format of these spaces leverages the networking essence of the Forum, offering a flexible and open environment for different stakeholder groups to share best practices, challenges, and innovative proposals.  

Stakeholder groupsThe Networking Hubs will focus on a range of pressing topics, including: 
  • Academia: Sharing research insights and theoretical perspectives on BHR developments.  

No interpretation will be provided. 


Tuesday November 26, 2024 1:20pm - 2:40pm CET
Room XIX

3:00pm CET

Addressing Racism Online: A Smart Mix of Measures for Rights-Respecting Content Moderation
Tuesday November 26, 2024 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Session co-organized by the Working Group on business and human rights and 7amleh. 

Interpretation in English, French and Spanish 

(Version française ci-jointe)
(Versión en español adjunta)


Brief description of the session:
 
From user-facing platforms to humanitarian tools and services, the tech sector, and in particular social media, has an ever-increasing impact on individuals and groups in the most vulnerable situations, including people of African descent and communities of colour. The failure to address the dissemination of hatred that incites discrimination on social media seriously undermines the promise of business and human rights - that is to provide a framework to prevent and remedy abuses by businesses, including tech companies, of internationally recognized human rights. Where online content moderation systems fail to effectively detect such content, it can risk increasing incitement to violence, and can hinder the enjoyment of a variety of human rights online and offline, including the right to life, the right to physical integrity, the right to health, freedom from non-discrimination,. As the Secretary General of the United Nations indicated in the organization’s Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, hate speech is a menace to democratic values, social stability and peace. 

Regardless of investment and resources, social media companies face specific challenges in their content moderation efforts to mitigate the spread of such harmful content. Electronic communication services, social media platforms and search engines provide an ideal environment for the delivery of a range of narratives, including those that may constitute incitement to discrimination and violence.. Individuals or groups systematically targeted by incitement to violence or discrimination, including racist attacks, are generally left without any effective means of defense, escape or self-protection, and often find themselves in situations of enhanced vulnerability. There is an increasing recognition of the deep impact of such systemic oppressions on mental health. As various studies have shown, harassment alone in comparatively limited environments can expose targeted individuals to extremely elevated and prolonged levels of anxiety, stress, social isolation and depression and significantly increases the risk of suicide, which may amount to psychological torture. Broadly speaking, incitement to discrimination and/or violence, including on the basis of race, not only affects targeted groups of people, but exercises greater influence on society at large, exacerbating divisions,  fractures and strengthening polarization within society. The above-mentioned elements become more meaningful when we consider the rising importance that young people attach to cyberspace, and the latter's potential to influence their choices and values. In this context, this session will explore the potential of collaboration by different stakeholders to ensure a smart mix of measures that leads to a human rights-respecting approach in online content moderation for social media platforms. 

Key objectives of the session: 
  • Analyze current initiatives in the context of content moderation in relation to incitement to hatred and discrimination targeting people of African descent and ethnic and racial minorities on social media. 
  • Identify good practices and challenges, including a smart mix of measures to protect and respect human rights in the context of social media content moderation. 
  • Discuss concrete steps and actions that States, businesses, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders can and should take to implement the UNGPs for social media content moderation, and provide affected individuals and groups with effective access to remedy. 

Key discussion questions: 
  • What are the challenges for rights-respecting content moderation, especially in the Global South and in non-English speaking markets?  
  • How can social media companies mitigate potential adverse human rights impacts through rights-respecting content moderation and human rights due diligence processes?  
Tuesday November 26, 2024 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Room XIX

4:40pm CET

Latin America and the Caribbean regional session*
Tuesday November 26, 2024 4:40pm - 6:00pm CET
Tuesday November 26, 2024 4:40pm - 6:00pm CET
Room XIX
 
Wednesday, November 27
 

9:00am CET

BHR informal dialogues: Responsible Investment
Wednesday November 27, 2024 9:00am - 9:40am CET
The newly introduced BHR Informal Dialogues will offer an open, dynamic platform for inclusive and in-depth discussions on critical issues within the Business and Human Rights (BHR) agenda. These sessions are structured to encourage autonomous, participant-led conversations without formal speakers or panelists, fostering a free-flowing exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives. The aim is to create a collaborative space where all participants can directly engage with one another, enabling meaningful dialogue that promotes deeper understanding of key issues.

By encouraging active participation from all participants, the BHR Informal Dialogues seek to ensure that a broad range of voices contribute to shaping the future of business and human rights practices. This format prioritizes diversity of views and backgrounds, creating a space where different stakeholders can share insights, experiences, and best practices in a flexible and open environment.

Topics for Discussion: The BHR Informal Dialogues will focus on a range of pressing topics, including:
  • Responsible Investment: Examining the impact of investment on human rights and business practices.
This informal and interactive space is open to everyone and is designed to spark collaborative thinking, drive solution-oriented discussions, and contribute to advancing the global BHR agenda.

Each Interactive dialogue will be facilitated by one or two people to ensure effective and inclusive dialogue. The facilitators will guide the discussion, assist in maintaining a balanced conversation, and ensure that all voices are heard. This structure will help both facilitators and participants to ensure a free-flowing exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives.

There will be no interpretation provided.
Wednesday November 27, 2024 9:00am - 9:40am CET
Room XIX

10:00am CET

Progress and Opportunities to Strengthen BHR in the Middle East and North Africa Region
Wednesday November 27, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CET
Session organized by the Working Group on business and human rights
  
Interpretation in English, Arabic and French 

(Version française ci-jointe)

Brief description of the session: 
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) have gained increased recognition among various stakeholders in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including governments, businesses, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), civil society actors, academia and the legal community. However, despite the growing awareness, there are significant challenges in translating the UNGPs into effective frameworks for protecting and addressing human rights and environmental issues in the region. 

This session will build upon the discussions from the past two annual forums to delve into the progress that has been achieved in advancing the business and human rights agenda, and to identify areas where further progress is needed and where gaps in protection persist. The session will also examine the implementation of the UNGPs, with a particular emphasis on a smart mix of measures to strengthen business and human rights in the MENA region. 

Key objectives of the session: 
  • Examine the utilization of the UNGPs to enhance human rights in the MENA region. 
  • Identify obstacles, drivers, and priorities crucial for realizing the UNGPs in the MENA region. 
  • Discuss practical measures to raise awareness and promote the implementation of the UNGPs throughout the MENA region.  
  • Explore strategies for enhancing the capacities of all stakeholders to effectively leverage the UNGPs as a tool for States and businesses to fulfil their respective duties and responsibilities to protect and respect human rights and the environment. 
  • Emphasize the importance of collaborative efforts among all stakeholders to advance the UNGPs. 

Key discussion questions: 
  • What are the primary drivers and priorities that must be addressed to fully realize the UNGPs in the MENA region? 
  • How can a smart mix of measures assist businesses in identifying and mitigating human rights risks across their operations and supply chains?  
  • What valuable insights can be learned from the progress made in advancing the implementation of the UNGPs in the MENA region, and how can these lessons guide future efforts?  

Wednesday November 27, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CET
Room XIX

11:40am CET

“Smart Mix” in Action: Progress and Opportunities for Advancing Business and Human Rights in Africa
Wednesday November 27, 2024 11:40am - 1:00pm CET
Session co-organized by the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)


Description of the session:
The “smart mix of measures” – national, international, voluntary and mandatory – has been central to the realization of the UN Guiding principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Already into the second decade of implementation of the UNGPs, this is an appropriate moment to reflect on what the “smart mix of measures” means for the African continent now and into the future.
Increased foreign direct and local investments in key sectors in Africa, including infrastructure development, extractive industries, agriculture, natural resource exploitation and manufacturing, highlights the need to build capacities and strengthen regulatory frameworks promoting and protecting human rights in the context of business activities in Africa.
States in the African continent are increasingly taking action to address the adverse impacts of business activities on people and the environment. Recent developments at national level, including through the adoption of national action plans on business and human rights, as well as sector-specific legislation on issues of business and human rights such as on labour rights, non-discrimination, environment, land, anti-corruption and privacy, show that action is possible in all these areas, and that government leadership from the top is a critical factor.
With the adoption of new regulation at international and regional level, such as EU regulations, particularly the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), as well as national human rights due diligence requirements in countries like France and Germany, States and businesses in Africa are facing new expectations. The session will discuss the key notion of “smart mix of measures” and what its realization means concretely in and for African countries and actors. It will also consider the importance for African Governments, businesses, communities and rightsholders to understand implications and opportunities arising from such regulatory developments as drivers for strengthening business respect for human rights.
The fundamental challenge going forward is to scale up the good practices that are emerging and address remaining gaps and challenges in the continent. This will require concerted efforts by all actors and meaningful stakeholders’ engagement.
This session will offer participants a multi-stakeholder platform to explore the specific application and implementation of a “smart mix” of measures to promote and implement the UNGPs in Africa, and to further invigorate emphasis on collaborative efforts to advance business respect for human rights and to strengthen access to effective remedy when harm happens.

Session objectives:
  • Identify positive practice, gaps and challenges in existing laws, policies and current business and government practice;
  • Develop practical pathways for how the UNGPs as a policy and normative framework can be better leveraged to bring States, businesses, and civil society together and generate sustainable and inclusive solutions to address business-related human rights challenges in Africa;
  • Highlight emerging good practices; and how key stakeholders — States, businesses, NHRIs, civil society organizations, trade unions and the investment community— can contribute to the scaling-up effective human rights due diligence processes, including through a rights-holder’s centred approach and meaningful, inclusive, and effective multi-stakeholder engagement;
  • Discuss the anticipated implications of international, regional and national regulatory developments and what it is needed from States and businesses in the region to ensure that legal developments in other regions result in positive outcomes for stakeholders in Africa;
  • Identify measures to strengthen policy coherence when setting and developing policy and regulation.
Wednesday November 27, 2024 11:40am - 1:00pm CET
Room XIX

1:20pm CET

Networking hubs: Indigenous Peoples
Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:20pm - 2:40pm CET
The Networking Hubs will provide an open platform designed to facilitate exchanges among diverse groups of stakeholders on the Business and Human Rights (BHR) agenda. These spaces are structured to encourage autonomous, participant-led conversations without formal speakers or panelists, fostering a free-flowing exchange of experiences and perspectives. The aim is to create a collaborative peer learning space within stakeholders, where each stakeholder group can directly engage with one another, fostering meaningful dialogue. 

The format of these spaces leverages the networking essence of the Forum, offering a flexible and open environment for different stakeholder groups to share best practices, challenges, and innovative proposals.  

Stakeholder groupsThe Networking Hubs will focus on a range of pressing topics, including: 
  • Indigenous Peoples: Highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities related to Indigenous Peoples’ rights in business operations. 

No interpretation will be provided. 


Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:20pm - 2:40pm CET
Room XIX

3:00pm CET

Key developments in the WEOG region over the past year
Wednesday November 27, 2024 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Session co-organized by the Working Group on business and human rights and the Danish Institute for Human Rights

Interpretation in English, Arabic and French 

Brief description of the session:
This session will consider the issues pertinent to the business and human rights agenda across WEOG States. This includes the development by some States of second, or reviewed, National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights. Due to the significant developments at the EU level during 2024, and the impacts beyond the EU, there will be a special focus on mandatory human rights due diligence and the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (Directive 2024/1760 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1760/oj) which entered into force on 25 July 2024.

The aim of the EU Directive “is to foster sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour in companies’ operations and across their global value chains. The new rules will ensure that companies in scope identify and address adverse human rights and environmental impacts of their actions inside and outside Europe” (https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/doing-business-eu/sustainability-due-diligence-responsible-business/corporate-sustainability-due-diligence_en). The Working Group conducted advocacy on the Directive, including in its statement of 7 February 2024 (https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/business/workinggroupbusiness/20240207-Corporate-Sustainability-Due-Diligence-Directive.pdf). The Working Group’s advocacy was conducted alongside that of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/02/un-human-rights-chief-urges-eu-leaders-approve-key-business-and-human-rights). This outreach sent a strong message on the need for regulation at the European level.

The session will consider the lessons learned from efforts by governments and regional entities to drive greater policy coherence on the business and human rights agenda through regulation. It will discuss how to scale up the implementation by business enterprises of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights. It will examine how to ensure that compliance with legislation by businesses does not become a formulaic “tick the box” exercise. The session will also examine some good practices followed by businesses when undertaking human rights due diligence, for example in contractual provisions in contracts along their value chains and in stakeholder engagement.

Key objectives of the session:
  1. Consider developments within the WEOG region, including the development of revised National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights;
  2. Clarify the key provisions of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and consider how States and businesses are responding;
  3. Consider what new causes of action may arise from the Directive and what remedies might be available; and
  4. Clarify what effectiveness of these pieces of legislation means for the different stakeholders.

Key discussion questions: 
  1. What needs to happen in the WEOG region in terms of policy and legislation to further develop the business and human rights agenda? What role is played by National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights in this regard?
  1. What can be learned from the processes followed during the drafting and negotiation of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive?
  1. What factors should all stakeholders consider when contemplating drafting legislation on mandatory human rights due diligence and other regulation relevant to the business and human rights agenda?
 
Background reading: 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1760/oj

https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/doing-business-eu/sustainability-due-diligence-responsible-business/corporate-sustainability-due-diligence_en

https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/business/workinggroupbusiness/20240207-Corporate-Sustainability-Due-Diligence-Directive.pdf

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/02/un-human-rights-chief-urges-eu-leaders-approve-key-business-and-human-rights

“Supporting the implementation of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive in global supply chains involving smallholders and their communities” https://fairtrade-advocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CSDDD_Accompanying-Measures.pdf


Wednesday November 27, 2024 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Room XIX
 
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