Overview

The annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights is the global platform for stocktaking and lesson-sharing on efforts to move the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights from paper to practice. It attracts more than 2,000 experts, practitioners and leaders for three days of dialogue between Governments, business, civil society, affected groups and international organizations on trends, challenges and good practices in preventing and addressing business-related human rights impacts.

The theme of the 2019 Forum is, “Time to Act: Governments as Catalysts for Business Respect for Human Rights.”

The Forum is guided and chaired by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and organized by its Secretariat at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which handles the registration process. Please register here.

For logistics and registration queries, please email registrationforumbhr@ohchr.org

Click here to explore the sessions and side events organized by the UN Global Compact and its Local Networks around the world.

Local Network Representation

Australia	Indonesia	Russia
Brazil	Italy	Spain
Colombia	Japan	Sweden
Denmark	Kenya	Switzerland
DRC	Korea	Thailand
France	Morocco	UK
Germany	Poland	Vietnam

Sessions and Side Events

Monday, 25 November, 15.00 –16.20 in Conference Room XIX: “Do companies prefer State action or inaction when it comes to promoting business respect for human rights? Stories from the frontline of businesses calling for action.” The session will showcase practical examples to explore why business sees value in pushing for regulatory and policy reform as well as effective reform methods. The session will include up to four companies from different geographical regions explaining why they chose to actively support a policy or regulatory change and how they did so, including some of the challenges and opportunities encountered. It will also include commentary from a Government representative, a business association and civil society organization on the pros and cons of business pushing for change, including what advocacy might mean for multi-stakeholder engagement. Please see here for further details and speakers

Monday, 25 November, 18.30–21.00, Space Gobelin, ILO Headquarters: “Business-only Networking Event.” This is an opportunity to meet and network informally with colleagues from the international business community, discuss key topics from the UN Forum and the latest practical, legal and policy developments, and exchange ideas on putting respect for human rights into practice. Light refreshments will be provided. Please register here by 21 November.

Tuesday, 26 November, 16.40 –18.00 in Conference Room XIX: "Corrupting the Human Rights Agenda: how business can leverage anti-corruption practices to advance respect for human rights.” This session will explore how we can build on practical, positive and promising examples from the business community that have contributed to the prevention of corruption and human rights violations. The UN Global Compact and Alliance for Integrity seek to demonstrate the direct relation between corruption and the violation of human rights within the private and public sectors; good practices on how companies are reducing risks related to human rights and corruption through the implementation of meaningful and robust efforts, programmes, and due diligence processes, as well as the importance of the joint work of these initiatives in order to train, inform and highlight good practices of the private sector in this area. Please see here for further details and speakers.

Tuesday, 26 November, 18.30 –20.00 at the International Geneva Welcome Center (CAGI): Cocktail reception "Let's Talk: Public-Private Sector Dialogue" organized by the UN Global Compact, the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN, and PeaceNexus. Please register here.

Wednesday, 27 November, 10.00 –13.00: Hear about lessons learned, challenges and innovative practices from Global Compact Local Networks in Regional Dialogues. Please see programme overview here”

Wednesday, 27 November, 12.00 –17.00 at WIPO: “Business for Peace: Bridging the Gap with Human Rights.” Please see here more details.