How Companies Can Implement the UN Guiding Principles for Business & Human Rights

June 2011, the UN adopted the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, written by UN Special Representative John Ruggie. One of the tenets of the principles is that businesses are expected to respect human rights in their company and in their supply chains. But what does this mean and how is it accomplished?

The training addresses these questions. It provides understanding on:

• Content, scope and implications of the Guiding Principles
• How companies can meet their responsibility to respect human rights
• Distinguishing whether a company has caused, contributed to or is linked to adverse human rights impacts, and what actions are expected of the company as a response
• Avoiding adverse impacts in the supply chain through collaborative approaches and mutual buyer-supplier responsibility
• Key human rights risks and how to prioritize among them
• The business case for human rights  

Additionally the course will introduce a six-step method on how to implement a supply chain management system that integrates the respect for human rights. The six steps are: 

1. Committing to a human rights policy
2. Assessing human rights impact
3. Integrating human rights in policies, procedures and responsibilities
4. Tracking human rights implementation
5. Communicating human rights impact
6. Remediating human rights impact

All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the Handbook & Toolkit as well as a certificate of attendance.

Participant Feedback:
"Tata Steel works with the SA8000 in upholding labor and human rights principles. We seek to expand the Management Review for SA8000 to include the human rights context going beyond the workplace. Attending the course was a step in the direction of structuring approaches to develop an integrated framework for salient risks." 
- Priyadarshini Sharma, Senior Manager, Office of the Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, who attended the course in Bangalore in November 2012. 

Expected Participants: The training is applicable to companies in any industry and size. It is designed for use by senior management, as well as professionals in the human resources, corporate social responsibility, compliance and sourcing departments. In addition, the training is also intended for CSR experts and consultants who train or advise companies, as well as for NGO, trade union and government representatives to learn about the implications of the Guiding Principles for their work.

Trainers: The training will be carried out by SAI Trainer Edwin Koster. Mr. Koster heads Max Value, SAI's Authorized Representative office in Europe. He has broad experience in sustainable supply chain management and is the co-author of the Handbook and Toolkit used in the Training.