Background

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GBI works to advance corporate respect for human rights around the world through our global engagement programme. Our growing focus on Southeast and East Asia is of critical importance as we work to accelerate practical capacity and knowledge on implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) among business practitioners. We have been organising discussions and peer learning for business practitioners on the corporate respect for human rights in Southeast Asia since 2011, notably in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. GBI has also participated in the UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum in Bangkok, Thailand since 2019 to speak and organise side sessions for business practitioners around the Forum. GBI intends to continue organising workshops for business practitioners on practical implementation of the corporate respect for human rights, including the upcoming 2023 Bangkok forum.

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Due to multiple factors, the Asia Pacific region is particularly vulnerable to the climate crisis. Sectors that are essential to economies in the region, including agriculture, manufacturing, construction, forestry, energy and tourism are key contributors to the climate crisis and will likely be the focus of adaptation and mitigation strategies. Responses by governments globally to the climate crisis, including adaptation, mitigation, and transition policies will have significant human rights impacts on people.

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Businesses globally are also developing their responses to the climate crisis, though adaptation, mitigation and transition strategies and activities that address the physical risks to the climate crisis, but also the transition to net zero. These activities will also have human rights impacts on people. The need for just transitions and rights-respecting climate action is widely recognised. Increasingly businesses are expected by investors and regulators to address climate and human rights holistically. Practically, business practitioners are seeking ways to better join-up their approaches to climate and human rights to ensure climate-sensitive respect for human rights and rights-respecting climate action.

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To register for the session, please do so here. If you have any questions, please contact Sophia.areias@gbihr.org.

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About the session

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This half day, case study-based workshop will focus in on the human rights impacts of the climate crisis, and how companies can better address climate and human rights holistically. Specifically, the session will explore the human rights risks of company adaptation and transition strategies. External experts on climate and human rights will also be included in the session.

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The sessions would be aimed for business practitioners working in the Asia Pacific region, including GBI and UN Global Compact Thailand members, as well as other business practitioners. Ideally, the audience would be comprised of practitioners who are working on issues related to human rights, compliance, supply chain, or sustainability. The workshop would be targeted to a larger audience (40-45 participants) with a range of levels of experience.

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Objectives

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• Explore the impacts to people of business adaptation, mitigation, and transition strategies.

• Explore practically how companies can join-up their approaches to climate and human rights.

• Identify implications of climate litigation around the world on business in Southeast Asia.

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Key questions

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Questions to be addressed in the workshop, include:

• What are the pressing human rights impacts of the climate crisis and what are the implications for businesses?

• What are the roles and responsibilities of businesses in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation?

• What is the role of human rights due diligence in the context of the climate crisis? How can companies embed human rights due diligence in their responses to the climate crisis?

• Climate litigation: how to remediate those impacted by companies’ climate-related impacts?