The Global Compact Network Australia (GCNA) is hosting an introductory workshop on business and human rights.
Businesses face growing expectations from governments and regulators, NGOs, business partners, investors and other stakeholders to ‘know and show’ that they respect human rights both at home and abroad. This means that businesses need to understand what involvement they may have in adverse human rights impacts and what steps they will take to prevent and address this involvement. This discussion is not always easy to start internally, with a lack of understanding of what the phrase “human rights” actually includes; what reputational, legal and operational consequences may flow from involvement in an adverse human rights impact and how to ensure that this work is integrated into existing work. It is also important that businesses are equipped to participate in key policy discussions and respond to new and emerging business related-human rights regulation, including the Australian Government’s Modern Slavery Act.
This 101 workshop will introduce the the concept of human rights and explain what is expected of business under the the concept of human rights and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) – the authoritative global reference point on business and human rights. In doing so it will aim to build business’ practical capacity to identify and manage their human rights-related risks.
More details will be forthcoming.
