Business and Human Rights in Spotlight at Australia’s National Multi-stakeholder Dialogue

The following is an article submitted by a Global Compact Local Network. Please contact the network representative listed below with any questions regarding its contents.

(Melbourne, 31 October 2017) – Over 100 leaders and experts from across sectors met on Tuesday, 31 October 2017 in Melbourne for the fourth annual Australian Dialogue on Business and Human Rights.

The Dialogue, which is a key event on the Australian corporate sustainability calendar, was co-convened by the Global Compact Network Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Business, Government, civil society, investors and other experts came together to engage on how Australian business can prevent and address their involvement in adverse human rights impacts at home and abroad.

Participants included over 50 business representatives across a range of industries, highlighting that businesses are increasingly recognising the need to understand and act on their human rights risks.

“Human rights is a business-critical issue for Australian businesses both domestically and overseas and across their value chains. Stakeholders – including NGOs, investors and Government – are lifting their expectations of business on human rights issues and engaging with business more actively which we are seeing play out in shareholder resolutions and other advocacy campaigns as well as new policy developments. The Dialogue provides an opportunity for businesses to learn from each other’s experiences and to engage with key stakeholders to better understand and manage their human rights-related risks,” said Alice Cope, Executive Director of the Global Compact Network Australia.

“2017 has been a big year for business and human rights in Australia, from steps towards mandatory modern slavery reporting to more mainstream interest, including from investors and the media, around how Australian businesses are managing their human rights risks. It has been positive, but not surprising, to see support from Australian business for both policy and regulatory measures, recognizing the benefits for business that may come from clearer Government expectations, a more level playing field and accompanying capacity building,” said Vanessa Zimmerman, Chair of the Global Compact Network Australia’s Human Rights Leadership Group. 

“Discussions like the Dialogue help develop the foundations for this support, facilitating better understanding of how key stakeholders view business responsibilities around human rights and collective discussion on the most effective actions to fulfil them.”

Edward Santow, Human Rights Commissioner said, “We all have an important role in protecting human rights. Successful businesses increasingly focus on long-term sustainability. This involves a business identifying where its operations can have a human rights impact, and working cooperatively with Government and civil society to make a positive difference.”  

A key development this year has been the Australian Government’s proposal to introduce modern slavery reporting requirements for larger businesses.

"The Dialogue is the leading forum in Australia for business to engage with the challenge of responding to the human rights-related expectations of their stakeholders, which just continue to increase,” said Rachel Nicolson, a Partner at Allens which who hosted the Dialogue. “Business must engage substantively with this issue and the growing legal risks and requirements entailed.”

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About the Global Compact Network Australia

The Global Compact Network Australia (GCNA) is the Australian business-led network of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate responsibility initiative. The UN Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and take actions that advance societal goals. In Australia, the GCNA brings together Australian signatories to the UN Global Compact, including a number of Australia's leading companies, non-profits and universities, to advance corporate sustainability and the private sector's contribution to sustainable development. (www.unglobalcompact.org.au)

Contact: Alice Cope, Executive Director, Global Compact Network Australia   alice.cope@unglobalcompact.org.au   +61 408 843 548

About the Australian Human Rights Commission

The Australian Human Rights Commission is Australia’s national human rights institution, which plays a critical role in responding to business and human rights challenges and opportunities as an advisor, educator and complaint handler. The Commission leads the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia by making human rights values part of everyday life and language. Through its broad mandate the Commission engages with business and human rights issues to ensure that States, businesses and civil society uphold their respective duties and responsibilities with regard to business interaction with human rights.

Contact: Lindy Kerin, Media Adviser, Australian Human Rights Commission lindy.kerin@humanrights.gov.au  +61 2 9284 9600