Overview
This is the second installment in the 2024 UNGC Academy Human Rights series. This session will be open to participation by global audiences drawn from corporate sustainability professionals, business and human rights practitioners and corporate leaders and interested private sector stakeholders.
About this webinar:
Does your company source products from or have operations in conflict affected or high risk areas (CAHRAs)?
How does your company escalate human rights due diligence in proportion to the severity of risks?
Does your company have a crisis plan for responsibly remaining in a CAHRA or responsibly exiting a CAHRA?
Do your operations or the operations of your suppliers require reinforced security arrangements?
Drawing on examples and lessons learned primarily from the Latin America and Asia-Pacific regions, this session will share practical ways that businesses can implement heightened human rights due diligence (hHRDD) when sourcing from or operating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs). Our expert panel will share real-life strategies that companies ca n implement when working in complex security and human rights contexts, including regions with political instability, weak governance, a history of armed conflict or violence, and lack of development.
As highlighted in the UNDP and UN Working Group on BHR guide, “Heightened human rights due diligence strengthens the understanding of the context where businesses operate and ensures that their activities do not contribute to violence by identifying flash points, potential triggers or the forces that are driving the conflict.” As underscored in tools developed by DCAF and its strategic partner the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), “Human rights protection, conflict sensitivity and responsible management of all security-related dimensions of a company’s operations is a central building block of an effective hHRDD process. This is increasingly being recognized as not merely good practice but a requirement by national regulations, international standards and benchmarking bodies, as well as investors.”
Many companies get caught up in definitions, seeking to precisely categorize their operations or supply chains as linked to CAHRAs or not. The reality is that any operating environment can become high risk. Violence and social conflicts can escalate quickly. Political stability can degrade rapidly. As a result, communities and vulnerable groups can face escalating risks to their lives, wellbeing, and livelihoods. Business activities will never be neutral and without impact and companies must take steps to anticipate and prevent adverse human rights impacts.
Against this backdrop, the webinar aims to:
- Provide clarity and unpack the concept of heightened human rights due diligence and what it means in practice.
- Explore real-life case studies, examples, and creative approaches for businesses to adapt corporate culture and policies to ensure effective, coherent and comprehensive hHRDD when sourcing from or operating in complex environments in order to continuously identify and mitigate risks when sourcing from or operating in high-risk contexts.
- Underline that respect for human rights, conflict sensitivity, and responsible security management are interconnected key elements for any effective hHRDD process.
- Provide an opportunity for cross-sector learning on shared challenges and good practices on responsibly remaining or responsibly exiting a CAHRA.
What you will gain
This session will help companies understand when and how to nimbly adapt their human rights due diligence processes to high-risk contexts. The session will provide insights from practical examples of operational context analysis, community engagement strategies, positive dialogue with host governments, relations with public and private security, and good practices on responsibly remaining or responsibly exiting a CAHRA. Most importantly, this session will provide companies practical measures to adapt corporate culture and policies to ensure effective, coherent and comprehensive hHRDD when sourcing from or operating in complex environments in order to continuously identify and mitigate risks factors.
Speakers:
- Marlène Wäfler, Principal Programme Manager, DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance
- Ben Katz, Policy Analyst, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Responsible Business Conduct
- Vicky Bowman, Director, Myanmar Center for Responsible Business and Senior Advisor, Institute for Human Rights and Business
- Jenny Vento, President of the Business and Human Rights committee at Peru’s National Mining Society
- Angela Jorns, Head of Innovation Impact, Fairphone
- Anna Marie Burdzy, Programme Manager, DCAF - Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (moderator)
- Joan Birika, Senior Manager for Human Rights, UN Global Compact
Speakers bios:
Keynote Speaker: Marlène Wäfler, Principal Programme Manager, DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance
Marlène Wäfler is a business and human rights expert with over 15 years of experience in policy and research, programme management and stakeholder engagement especially in Sub Saharan Africa.
At DCAF- the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance, Marlène works for the Business and Security Division and oversees a team focusing on the nexus between business, security and human rights, working with companies, governments, and communities to improve security, sustainable development, and respect for human rights.
Before joining DCAF, she worked for international organisations and non-governmental organisations, supporting the implementation of human rights due diligence and responsible sourcing of minerals notably from West Africa and the African Great Lakes Region.
Prior to specializing in business and human rights, Marlène worked on international criminal law, and on facilitating legal support for victims of sexual and gender-based violence, notably for the UN mission in the DRC.
She holds a licence of international relations from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a MAS of international humanitarian law from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Keynote Speaker: Ben Katz, Policy Analyst, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Responsible Business Conduct
Ben Katz leads the OECD’s work on responsible mineral supply chains at the organization’s Centre for Responsible Business Conduct. His team looks after implementation of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. The team works with a range of governments, regulators, policymakers, commodity exchanges and civil society organizations to enable responsible sourcing from high-risk areas. Ben has worked in the field of natural resource governance for more than 10 years.
Panelist: Vicky Bowman, Director, Myanmar Center for Responsible Business and Senior Advisor, Institute for Human Rights and Business
Vicky Bowman has been the Director of Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) since July 2013, based in Yangon until November 2022, and currently based in London, and is also a Senior Adviser at the Institute of Human Rights and Business (IHRB). She is the independent chair of the Global Network Initiative, a Board member of the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA) and is an Honorary Senior Fellow of the British Institute for International and Comparative Law (BIICL). From 2011-2013 she led global mining company Rio Tinto's policy approach to transparency, human rights and resource nationalism/resource curse issues. Vicky was Director of Global & Economic Issues and G8 sous-Sherpa for the United Kingdom from 2008-2011 and Head of the Southern Africa Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK Government from 2006-2007. Vicky served as ambassador of the UK to Myanmar from 2002-2006, and has also worked in Brussels as UK Spokeswoman, and for the European Commission. She has an MA in Natural Sciences (Pathology) from University of Cambridge, holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford, and is an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College.
Panelist: Angela Jorns, Head of Innovation Impact, Fairphone
Angela leads the Impact Innovation team at Fairphone, a Dutch tech company producing sustainable electronics. Angela oversees Fairphone's key sustainability areas: longevity of products, commitment to net zero emission targets, decent work in manufacturing, integration of fair materials into products and supply chains, as well as e-waste collection and take back. Prior to joining Fairphone, Angela worked with companies, governments and NGOs on responsible mining and mineral value chains, including in several African and Southeast Asian countries, as well as in humanitarian and development aid. Angela holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Panelist: Jenny Vento, President of the Business and Human Rights committee at Peru’s National Mining Society
Moderator: Annie Burdzy, Programme Manager, DCAF - Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (moderator)
Annie Burdzy is a business and human rights expert with over 10 years of experience in private sector engagement and development of corporate tools and resources for responsible security management, conflict prevention, and respect for human rights.
At DCAF- the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance, Annie works for the Business and Security Division focusing on providing policy advisory support and leading DCAF’s partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross on “Addressing Security and Human Rights Challenges in Complex Environments.” She has also supported DCAF’s engagement in the Montreux Document, leading the Montreux Document Forum and supporting government regulation of private military and security companies.
Pior to joining DCAF she worked at Amnesty International in Vancouver. She holds a Masters in International History from the Graduate Institute in Geneva.
Closing: Joan Birika, Senior Manager for Human Rights, UN Global Compact
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