Towards Promotion of Responsible Business Conduct and Supply Chains: Roles of National Action Plans on Business & Human Rights and “Engagement” & “Remedy” Guidelines (Monday, February 3, 2020)

The Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights adopted by the UN in June 2011 have changed business environments from home and abroad. This symposium, co-organized by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, the Global Compact Network Japan, and the Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan, invites experts on two noteworthy developments in this field.

The first development is the "Engagement" and "Remedy" Guidelines for Promotion of Responsible Business Conduct and Supply Chains which aims to promote dialogue between business enterprises and stakeholders, and to secure access to remedy for the victims. This guideline was developed by the cooperative efforts among different stakeholders, and published in December 2019. This guideline also intends to advance the legacy of the Tokyo Olympics/Paralympics, amplify the contents of National Action Plans for Business and Human Rights, and dispatch ESG activities by Japanese business enterprises. In this session, lawyers, business persons and investors as well as international officials who have been deeply involved in the development of the guideline will explain its purpose, and how to use it.

The other development is that Thailand published the first National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights in Asia. Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries are also developing their own Action Plans. Japan aims to publish it sometime in the middle of this year. These Action Plans will make a huge impact on business conduct by Japanese business enterprises in this region. In this session, we will invite Mr. Shinji Minami, the director of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is in charge of the development of the Action Plan in Japan. We will also invite Ms. Nareeluc Pairchaiyapoom, Director-General of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, Thai Ministry of Justice, who was in charge of developing the Action Plan in Thailand, and Prof. Dato’ Dr. Aishah Bidin, who is deeply involved in drafting the Action Plan in Malaysia.

This symposium will be a good opportunity not only for business persons but also government officials, experts and members of civil society who are interested in the development of business and human rights in Japan and Southeast Asia. We look forward to your participation.