Session 4: The Corporate Responsibility to Respect: Challenges and Opportunities in implementing the UNGPs - The ASEAN Experience

• The UNGPs was a milestone in that it provided a platform for everyone to come together – in particular, governments and companies.
• But businesses face a challenge to implement the UNGPs – how can we translate this to a business case? One way would be to translate ‘lofty’ concepts like human rights into a language which seamlessly integrates into ‘business speak’. A strategy is to discuss ‘risk management’ instead of ‘human rights’, or ensure human rights is quantifiable – for example, into cost savings or number of workers who enjoy better health.
• Real human rights violations often occur in 2^nd or 3^rd tier suppliers. This is most difficult to address, but must not be ignored. Human rights complaints must be met with serious remedies by the companies at the first tier, then consider remedies for third parties in the 2^nd and 3^rd tier.