After the adoption of the UNGP in 2011, standards on business responsibility to respect human rights and business human rights due diligence have gained prominence in the global debate on business accountability. Many companies claim to comply with the UNGP by performing a human rights due diligence including across their global supply chain. Several initiatives have emerged at regional and national level to promote companies’ due diligence processes, including the EU Directive on non-financial reporting, the UK Modern Slavery Act, the French law on company devoir de vigilance. Despite the progress, serious human rights abuses still occur in both developing and developed countries. The ability of companies to identify, monitor and prevent negative human rights impacts in their operations and relationships is still weak and the access to effective remedy remains difficult if not impossible.
This is an opportune moment to take stock of the progresses made to date and the challenges ahead in order to create a level playing field that will effectively promote the respect of human rights in business global operations.
Welcome speech
Saman Zia-Zarifi, ICJ Secretary General
Moderator
Carlos Lopez, ICJ
Panelists
Fernanda Hopenhaym, PODER/ESCR-net CAWG steering group
Maddalena Neglia, FIDH
Michael Addo, UN Working Group on BHR
Olivier De Schutter, UN Committee on ESCR/University of Louvain