UN Global Compact Encourages Deeper Business Engagement at UN Forum on Business and Human Rights

(Geneva, 4 December 2014) – Signaling growing interest in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, an estimated 2,000 participants from business, Government, academia, NGOs and other civil society groups convened 1-3 December for the Third Annual United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights. Established by the Human Rights Council and guided by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, the Forum provides a global platform to explore progress on, and promote uptake of, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The Forum was chaired by telecommunications entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim, and among the key plenary speakers were UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell, former Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General on Business and Human Rights John Ruggie, and UN Global Compact Board Members Jorge Abrahao (President, Ethos Institute), Bob Collymore (CEO, Safaricom), Paul Polman (CEO, Unilever) and Brent Wilton (Secretary-General, IOE).

The UN Global Compact co-organized several multi-stakeholder events to bring the voice of responsible business to discussions on trends and challenges in implementing the UN Guiding Principles, and on ways to support human rights:

• Hosted by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN, the UN Global Compact co-organized a pre-Forum meeting for business – in collaboration with BSR, GBI, ICMM, ICC, IOE, IPIECA and USCIB – in order to encourage business to share experiences and make contributions during sessions of the Forum. Georg Kell, Brent Wilton and John Ruggie delivered remarks emphasizing the importance of business input to and active engagement at the Forum.
• The Global Compact Human Rights and Labour Working Group convened alongside the Forum to review progress and set future priorities.  Forty working group members from business, civil society, and academia around the world engaged in enriching dialogue on challenges and areas of innovation on human rights and business. Ten Global Compact Local Network representatives also shared how they are engaging business to advance respect and support for human rights in their respective countries.
• In collaboration with BSR and Global Compact Local Networks, the Global Compact hosted a session to showcase how companies have used tools such as the Women’s Empowerment Principles, Children’s Rights and Business Principles, and the Business Reference Guide to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to operationalize the Guiding Principles and business support for human rights at the country level. The session also featured a presentation on how individuals and organizations can leverage the Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum (www.hrbdf.org) to raise awareness of specific business and human rights issues.
• The UN Global Compact hosted a session on Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement in Human Rights Due Diligence in collaboration with Oxfam and FIDH. Civil society and business representatives from a variety of sectors shared challenges and emerging good practice on stakeholder engagement in human rights due diligence, including in high-risk or conflict-affected areas, and when engaging with government.
• UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell delivered a keynote address at a luncheon on Business, Human Rights, the Rule of Law and the New Development Paradigm, hosted by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN, the Permanent Mission of Italy to UN and the UN Global Compact. Mr. Kell discussed the new Business for the Rule of Law initiative, which will provide guidance on how business can respect and support the rule of law in the areas in which it operates.
• The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Global Compact also co-hosted a two-day meeting of the Child Labour Platform focused on tackling child labour in the supply chain, which included discussions on a member’s management system for addressing child labour in its supply chain. Also featured were breakout sessions on topics such as child labour audits and certification, and sectoral collaboration.
  • View all Events for the United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights 
  • Learn more about the UN Global Compact’s work to advance the business contribution to human rights
  • Review the relationship between the UN Global Compact human rights commitments and the UN Guiding Principles

Contact

Ursula Wynhoven
Chief, Governance and Social Sustainability and General Counsel
UN Global Compact
wynhoven@un.org