Considered through the lens of social license methodology, panelists explored how companies can analyze operations and supplier relations to avoid contributing to negative impacts on human rights, such as child labour. Participants discussed the importance of meeting the minimum requirements to respect human rights as outlined by the Global Compact principles and the Guiding Principles and how doing so can help mitigate potential risks to a company’s reputation and bottom line. Business panelists share best practices and lessons learned about assessing human rights risks in their operations, and strategies they have used to prevent or respond to them.

Addresses the relationships between businesses and the communities in which they operate, focusing specifically on the extractive industry. Business arguments for proactive and robust human rights due diligence are presented, and participants explore how even unanticipated and unintentional impacts on the rights of local people can pose risks to a company’s productivity, reputation and social license to operate in a region. Panelists shared practices taken to avoid negatively impacting the human rights of local populations and lessons learned that apply across sectors.

Internationally-accepted frameworks now exist that define the responsibility of all companies with respect to human rights. This also extends to investors, who increasingly are looking to integrate human rights effectively and consistently into investment decision–making and corporate engagement. The webinar focuses on a new report, Investing the Rights Way: A Guide for Investors on Business and Human Rights, which aims to assist investors in evaluating human rights–related issues across their portfolios.

Showcases business initiatives that were nominated for the Business Leader’s Award to Fight Human Trafficking. The award aims to identify and reward good business practices that aim to prevent and tackle human trafficking - an issue that is increasingly recognized as a concern and risk for the corporate world. The webinar explores innovative business approaches, with nominees sharing their good practices, challenges and lessons learned in preventing and mitigating human trafficking risks within their company’s operations and supply chains.

Explores the role of company-level grievance mechanisms, their benefits and limitations, their relationship to other means of addressing stakeholder concerns, and some key considerations when designing a mechanism to be effective in practice. Examples and perspectives from business representatives are also shared.

Aims to familiarize Global Compact Local Network representatives with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and provide an introduction to the National Human Rights Institutions as potential partners for advancing Human Rights at the local level. The first webinar features panelists from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Global Compact Network Germany, the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. The second webinar includes presentations from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Global Compact Network Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Addresses how responsible businesses can mitigate the risk of association with human trafficking and forced labour in their operations or supply chains. The dilemma for business is how to detect, prevent and take corrective measures against these hidden forms of exploitation. The webinar also explores suggested best practices to help companies mitigate related risks.

Introduces examples of innovative approaches to empowering women in the workplace, marketplace and community, focusing on private sector women’s health initiatives. These inspirational examples illustrate some of the concrete ways in which companies can and are taking action to implement the Women’s Empowerment Principles.

Examines how responsible businesses, as well as suppliers and partners, can ensure a living wage for employees when the host country does not have a statutory minimum wage or when it fails to provide an adequate standard of living. It also explores the issue of working hours in the context of international standards, overtime and the pressure on some labourers to work excessive hours.

Addresses how businesses can operate responsibly in conflict-affected or fragile countries and weak governance zones to ensure that operations contribute to peace-building. Suggested best practices to help companies mitigate the risks of operating in conflict-affected environments are also explored.

Addresses how responsible businesses can ensure respect for human rights when working with public security forces. In particular, the webinar examines the reputational and legal risks posed by public security providers over which companies have limited control. The webinar provides good practice examples to help companies mitigate risks as they seek to protect their personnel and assets.

Provides an overview of how responsible businesses can mitigate the risks associated with human trafficking and exploitation of migrant workers in their operations and supply chains. Participants will examine situations where migrant workers form a significant part of the workforce and do not have adqueate protection from the government. Issues include violation of international standards, lack of monitoring mechanisms or human rights trainings for relevant state authorities. The webinar will also explore best practices to help multinational companies detect, prevent and take corrective measures against such hidden forms of exploitation.