Business and Human Rights workshop for an overseas base
- Consulting
- Forests, Land and Agriculture
- #Business and Human Rights
- #Sustainable Procurement
07/31/2024
"Human rights" are natural rights inherent to every person for survival, freedom, and pursuit of happiness, and shall never be violated. While "human rights" might be a complex theme, they are integral to our daily lives and shall be also respected in business activities. We believe that understanding the importance of human rights by employees themselves fosters a culture that respects human rights of all stakeholders involved in business, thereby fulfilling corporate responsibility for human rights as outlined by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Our workshop was conducted with this belief in mind.
目次
Purpose of conducting “Business and Human Rights” workshop training
As a part of the support of human rights due diligence for a major construction materials manufacturer, Lively conducted an online workshop on “Business and Human Rights” for its subsidiary in Malaysia. We designed this workshop with the intention of enabling the participants to gain practical knowledge and develop a strong sense of ownership as regards human rights. By having management team members to participate in this workshop, we also aimed to emphasize the importance of human rights in business activities and increase effectiveness of the responses.
Conducting a workshop with quizzes, exercises, and case studies
The workshop consisted of two parts. In the first half, seven participants took quizzes on 20 topics related to human rights risks in business and value chains to increase interest in “Business and Human Rights” and in the second half, they explored case studies of materialized human rights risks in related industries to understand human rights due diligence (HRDD). The participants learned about the UNGP’s commitment to human rights, due diligence, and remedies for negative impacts on human rights through videos and the session concluded with a review of the workshop.
Sharing feedback on the workshop: providing opportunities to foster a sense of responsibility for Human Rights
After the workshop, all participants reported a deeper understanding of “Business and Human Rights” and recognized its importance. Some commented, “We noticed protecting human rights is the responsibility of the entire company including suppliers”, “Even female managers and the labor union have played important roles in respecting human rights”, and others commented, “We should consider human rights in work environment and for suppliers.” They also raised questioned how they could grasp the actual situation of many suppliers. The workshop gave a chance to foster a sense of ownership and a proactive attitude toward human rights among participants.
Sources
United Nations Information Centres, Universal Declaration of Human Rights Text
Tamio Nakano (2001) Workshop – A Place for New Learning and Creation (Unofficial Translation), Iwanami Shinsho
Ministry Of Justice, Basic Matters Regarding the Comprehensive Promotion of Policies for Education and Awareness-Raising to Deepen Mutual Understanding Among the Public on the Principles of Respect for Human Rights (Report)
UNDP Business and Human Rights in Asia (2021), HRDD Training Facilitation Guide
Message from the Project Member
The "Business and Human Rights" workshop at our client's Southeast Asian base aimed to deepen participants' understanding and ownership of human rights. Through quizzes and case studies, they explored industry-specific risks and learned about practical responses based on the UNGP. Feedback showed participants gained a strong understanding of human rights initiatives and were eager to address specific issues. We aim to develop specific action plans for sustainable responses in collaboration with suppliers. Please contact us with any questions.
