2026 Australian Dialogue on Business and Human Rights

About

The UN Global Compact Network Australia (UNGCNA) welcomes you to Australia’s thirteenth annual cross-sector forum dedicated to advancing business respect for human rights.

We are operating in a period of profound transition. The race to secure critical minerals, the scale-up of renewable energy, the physical impacts of climate change and the rapid adoption of AI are reshaping both the business environment and the human rights risk landscape. The pace of change is faster than frameworks, institutions and societies can adapt. At the same time, the modern slavery legal landscape in Australia and other jurisdictions is evolving, with new and forthcoming obligations, enforcement mechanisms and expectations of business.

The 2026 Australian Dialogue on Business and Human Rights will create space for leaders from the business and investment communities, government and other stakeholder groups to work together to make sense of the changing landscape and identify promising pathways forward to safeguard human rights and human dignity throughout this period of transition. Expect frank, constructive and forward-looking discussions that sharpen thinking and action, support meaningful cross-stakeholder engagement and include fresh perspectives.

Across the day, we will unpack:

• The role of business in building resilient, connected societies in an era of transformation
• The use of strategic litigation and investor stewardship to drive stronger accountability
• How to embed respect for people and human rights in transition-related decision-making
• What ‘good’ regulation looks like to drive more effective modern slavery risk management
• How to implement a true ‘risk-based’ approach and strengthen supply chain collaboration
• Immediate priorities to safeguard human rights in the technology transition

The 2026 Australian Dialogue on Business and Human Rights has been made possible with the kind support of Corrs Chambers Westgarth. 

This event will be held under Chatham House rule.

Reminder:

• UNGCNA participants are entitled to one complementary ticket per organisation as part of UNGCNA membership. Additional participant tickets are available for purchase at a discounted rate.
• SMEs and non-business participants may be eligible for a discount (list reviewed for eligibility).

Contact us for more information.

Human Rights Due Diligence Workshop: What does it take to transform business practices in global supply chains?

The need to develop more sustainable business models has never been more urgent. But what does good look like? Building better business models isn’t a theoretical aspiration. It’s a way of doing business. This workshop shows you how.

This hands-on, practical workshop will support companies to identify the success factors that constitute the building blocks of effective human rights due diligence — and the foundations on which meaningful, lasting outcomes for workers, communities and business can be delivered. During the workshop, we will discuss the core components of business model transformation and examine what it takes to implement at scale. We will also discuss the barriers to transformation implementation and identify opportunities to overcome these.

Register separately for the Human Rights Due Diligence Workshop below.