New Report Identifies Ten Ways Canadian Businesses Can Better Support Children's Rights
First-ever Child Rights and Business Assessment launched in Canada
TORONTO, December 10, 2020 /3BL Media/ – In celebration of Human Rights Day, UNICEF Canada and Global Compact Network Canada today launched the first-ever Child Rights and Business Assessment to help Canadian businesses assess their impact on children’s wellbeing. The tool provides ten recommendations for Canadian companies to become champions for children and includes examples of how leading Canadian companies are currently reporting on their efforts to address children’s rights.
To view or download the report, visit www.unicef.ca/csr or www.globalcompact.ca.
Children around the world are impacted by company policies, products, operations, sourcing activities and advertising. Yet beyond child labour and philanthropic corporate social responsibility, the broader impacts of business on children are often overlooked.
“Children’s rights must be at the heart of business action," said Rowena Pinto, Chief Program Officer at UNICEF Canada. "We are thrilled that Canadian businesses from across a wide variety of sectors are increasingly recognizing the critical role they can play in building a better corporate environment that supports the right of every child, both at home and abroad. Respecting and advancing children’s rights is not just good for children—it’s good for business.”
With the launch of the report, UNICEF Canada and Global Compact Network Canada—in collaboration with a group of Canadian companies including the Bank of Montreal, Intact Financial Corporation, and the Lundin Foundation—aim to guide Canadian businesses on how to integrate children’s considerations into their responsible business conduct.
“We are proud to work with UNICEF Canada and Global Compact Network Canada to inform and inspire Canadian businesses to address and promote child rights and well-being," commented Michael Torrance, Chief Sustainability Officer, BMO Financial Group. “We hope that this will help Canada to reach a tipping point where child rights integration will transform from being a niche issue for pioneering companies to being core business for all.”
The Canada Child Rights and Business Assessment provides a series of recommendations on how businesses can address child rights, in areas including:
- Contributing to the Elimination of Child Labour;
- Ensuring the Protection and Safety of Children;
- Providing Decent Work for Young Workers, Parents and Caregivers;
- Respecting Child Rights in Relation to the Environment and Land Use;
- Using Marketing and Advertising that Respect and Support Child Rights;
- Respecting and Support Child Rights in Security Arrangements.
The report surveys public references to child rights issues in the annual and sustainability reporting of leading Canadian companies on the S&P/TSX 60 Index, a stock market index of 60 large companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. It then guides companies on which indicators to align their public reporting on child rights with, as part of three key frameworks—the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Canadian Index of Child and Youth Well-being.
“The Canada Child Rights and Business Assessment has strengthened Global Compact Network Canada’s mission in supporting companies to do business responsibly by aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals," said Ayman Chowdhury, Head of Secretariat at Global Compact Network Canada. “These cannot be achieved without making inclusive economic, social and environmental progress for children.”
About UNICEF
UNICEF is the world’s leading humanitarian organization focused on children. We work in the most challenging areas to provide protection, healthcare and immunizations, education, safe water and sanitation and nutrition. As part of the United Nations, our unrivalled reach spans more than 190 countries and territories, ensuring we are on the ground to help the most disadvantaged children. While part of the UN system, UNICEF relies entirely on voluntary donations to finance our life-saving work.
Please visit unicef.ca and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Global Compact Network Canada
Global Compact Network Canada (GCNC) is the Canadian network of the United Nations Global Compact – a network of companies and organizations who are committed to spearheading sustainable business solutions and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The GCNC supports corporate sustainability among Canadian businesses by spearheading the SDGs and the 10 Principles of the UN Global Compact.
Please visit globalcompact.ca and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
For more information, please contact:
Marie-Claude Rouillard
Communications Manager, UNICEF Canada
(514) 232-4510
MRouillard@unicef.ca
Steve Koserski
Program Coordinator, Global Compact Network Canada
steve@globalcompact.ca
