Spotlight

Enhancing Responsible Supply Chains in Asia: From contracts to remedies

ORGANIZED BY

Mori Hamada

17-Sep

11:00-11:30

Meeting Room A

This session examines the practical challenges of realizing responsible supply chains in Asia through Contracts and Remedies, focusing on promoting the rights of migrant workers in overseas supply chains.

Overview

This session will explore the practical challenges of building responsible supply chains in Asia through contracts and remedies. Although contracts can be effective tools for addressing human rights risks, power imbalance they include may discourage business partners and rights holders from speaking up about such risks. We will examine how contracts can be used to implement human rights due diligence more effectively. This attempt will also extend to remedial initiatives within and beyond contractual relationships, including multi-stakeholder platforms, highlighting corporate responsibility to respect human rights.

Why it matters

While contracts can play an increasingly important role in promoting respect for human rights throughout supply chains, a number of challenges have been identified in practice, particularly concerning the effective implementation of HRDD and access to remedy.

Who should attend?

Businesses and CSOs

What participants will gain

Effective use of contracts to implement HRDD
Remedial initiatives connecting contracts

Chihiro Tsukada

Partner, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto

Chihiro Tsukada is a Partner at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, one of Japan’s largest corporate law firms. He previously served as Deputy Director of the Business and Human Rights Policy Office at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, where he played a key role in drafting the Guidelines on Respecting Human Rights in Responsible Supply Chains, Japan’s first BHR-focused policy measures. He advises numerous corporations on conducting human rights due diligence and remediating human rights issues.

Mao Kado

National Project Coordinator, International Labour Organization

Mao Kado is a National Project Coordinator at the International Labour Organization in Tokyo, promoting responsible business conduct, particularly in relation to Japan and Thailand. During her tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she led the development of Japan’s revised National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (BHR). She also practised law at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, where she advised enterprises on BHR, internal and cross-border investigations, crisis management and regulatory compliance.

Panupan Udomsuvannakul

Partner, Chandler Mori Hamada Limited

Panupan Udomsuvannakul is a Partner at Chandler Mori Hamada Limited. He advises multinational corporations on cross-border investments, compliance, ESG, and business and human rights matters. He regularly supports companies in implementing responsible business practices and navigating evolving regulatory requirements in Thailand.