At UN Human Rights Forum, Groups May Seek to Ramp Up Pressure on Companies

Published on September 20, 2012

step on globeThe UN’s Working Group on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises will hold a Forum on Business and Human Rights on December 4 and 5 in Geneva.

The forum could have important ramifications for business, especially since trade unions and NGOs are demanding far-reaching measures for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Such measures could take the form of extraterritorial jurisdiction, the linking of compliance with the UN Principles to access to export credits and public procurement, mandatory reporting on due-diligence outcomes, and the establishment of a European complaints mechanism for alleged violations.

In view of this, USCIB is seeking to facilitate a broad industry turnout at the forum, including from small and medium-sized enterprises. Representation will take place through the International Organization of Employers (IOE), part of USCIB’s global network.

The IOE has been able to negotiate the availability of a “public space” at the forum venue, where companies can present information and materials on their human rights activities during two-day forum. Please contact us for additional information.

Staff contact: Ariel Meyerstein

More on USCIB’s Corporate Responsibility Committee

This entry was posted in Business In Society, Latest from USCIB and tagged .

Published on September 20, 2012

Staff Contact:   Ewa Staworzynska

Director, Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs
Tel: 212.703.5056

Ewa Staworzynska is USCIB’s Director of Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs. Staworzynska brings to USCIB her extensive policy experience from both public and private sectors. Prior to joining USCIB, she led DoorDash’s policy efforts in international markets and was in charge of diplomatic relations. Before her position at DoorDash, Staworzynska was an officer at the International Labor Organization (ILO), where she worked multilaterally to advance support for decent work and related policies at UN headquarters. Staworzynska began her career in New York working for a real estate start-up. Staworzynska will be based in USCIB’s New York office and will work with Jose Arroyo, USCIB policy associate on corporate responsibility and labor affairs, on a wide range of issues, including human rights and industrial policy, responsible business conduct, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She was born and raised in Norway and has a B.A. in Economics and M.A. in International Relations, with a specialty in International Business, from New York University.
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