Marking the official opening of the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum, this session will emphasize the critical need for increased uptake and action to advance corporate sustainability. Participants learn about the Forum objectives and are presented with existing examples of innovation and collaboration aimed to inspire them as they prepare for the following two days.

Experts from the ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour discuss research on global trends in the realization of this fundamental human right, including an analysis of important developments in the business contribution to the elimination of child labour.

Better Work is a unique partnership programme which aims to improve both compliance with labour standards and promote competitiveness in global supply chains. The programme involves both the development of global tools and the implementation of country-level services. This webinar presents an overview of how Better Work engages managers and workers as part of factory-level assessment, advisory and training services, and will explain how national Project Advisory Committees promote local ownership of improvements in the industry.

This webinar discussed the inclusion of workers with disabilities in the workplace. Participants were introduced to the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, and learned how the ILO Code of Practice for Managing Disability in the Workplace can serve as a guide for their disability inclusion policies and efforts. This was an updated presentation of the June 2011 webinar and was scheduled for participants in the Asia region.

Framed around the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, this webinar focuses particularly on the relevance these Principles have and the guidance they suggest for business seeking to respect and support children’s rights in their supply chains. The webinar also includes good practice examples from business.

Co-hosted by CSR Europe and the UN Global Compact, this webinar highlights the challenges in monitoring and auditing suppliers beyond tier 1, as well as the opportunities in addressing suppliers down the supply chain. It explores the implications for business and provides insight into company practice and existing initiatives related to addressing suppliers beyond Tier 1.

Gives an overview of the COP Policy and explains the Differentiation Programme, with a special emphasis on the GC Active level. It covers the minimum COP requirements, deadline extension and modification, and online submission.

There is a strong business case for improving the rates of female representation on boards and at senior executive levels. This brief provides guidance on integrating gender equality into all management selection processes and calls on companies to assure sufficient participation of women – 30% or greater – in decision-making and governance at all levels and across all business areas.

The ESG Investor Briefing is a joint project of the UN Global Compact and the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The project is designed to improve company-investor communications on material environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) information. Building on the model of a quarterly financial call, companies presented how their ESG strategies and performance translate into financial value to an audience of mainstream investors.

The ESG Investor Briefing is a joint project of the UN Global Compact and the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The project is designed to improve company-investor communications on material environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) information. Building on the model of a quarterly financial call, companies presented how their ESG strategies and performance translate into financial value to an audience of mainstream investors.

Addresses the issue of how responsible businesses can ensure that their procurement of minerals does not profit armed groups in producer countries, or provide such groups with incentives to control strategic mining areas and trading routes through violent means. In particular, the webinar examines the risks posed by conflict minerals to multi-national corporations (MNCs); for example, in terms of relevant legal requirements in the United States or the protection of company reputations. Additionally, the webinar explores suggested good practices to help MNCs mitigate these risks, including supply-chain due diligence and traceability initiatives.

Explores how responsible businesses can best ensure that workers within their supply chains located in developing and emerging growth countries enjoy adequate safety protection within the workplace. In particular, the webinar examines the challenges faced by companies with supply chains in regions with weak or poorly enforced national occupational health and safety regulations or those that have limited resources to upgrade their systems to international standards, as well as companies that witness a rise in the costs of production due to investment in health and safety education for their suppliers. Additionally, the webinar explores a range of relevant good practice as well as examples of multi-national companies that have addressed this issue.