The 12th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 26 to 29 November 2023, was attended by a diverse and global group of academics, practitioners, consultants, community activists, UN and government officials. A community has gathered. With support from the Business Law Advisory Committee, Program Development Director Dr. Laura Reimer attended in person for the purpose of networking and gathering information for the department's business and human rights efforts. Jenna Chemelika, Faculty of Law Program Review Coordinator, also joined virtually from Canada and participated in the sessions that Reimer did not attend. The forum centered around the 2011 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which implement the UN's Protect, Respect and Remedy framework, which is also complex and difficult to act on. A large part of the forum was about how to translate concepts into real practice.
3,993 people from 144 countries participated in person and online, underscoring the importance of this event. The information presented at workshops and events by academics and experts revealed possibilities for engagement and impact on the faculty and provided pioneering opportunities, especially for the Marcel A. Desautels Center for Private Enterprise and Law. Professor Reimer compiled a long list of potential action items for the department to move the business and human rights law program forward.
The purpose of having a representative from the Desautels Center and the Faculty of Law is multi-faceted, including networking, expanding knowledge, exploring candidates for advertised fellowship opportunities in the field of business and human rights, and facilitating upcoming conferences organized by the Desautels Center. It was spot on. Business and Human Rights will be held on November 14-15, 2024. All of these goals were met and exceeded.
One of the things that became clear from the many sessions I attended at the forum was that Canada lags significantly behind in business and human rights research and programming in academia. Canada, in particular, lags behind regulations, laws, and enforcement that ensure business practices that respect human rights. Currently, companies can only “self-regulate.'' Through his more than 10 sessions attended by Mr. Reimer and Mr. Chemerika, it became clear that there is a wealth of opportunity for law schools to become agents of change that advance fundamental principles of human rights in business and business law. The Desautels Center has the potential to become Canada's hub for research, education and networking in this field. While in Geneva, Reimer was able to gather information and contacts to begin the early stages of work to establish the School of Law as Canada's Center for Business and Human Rights.
Desautels Center Power of Attorney
An urgent issue facing family businesses, multinational corporations and communities around the world is the responsibility of private companies to respect human rights throughout their operations, from supply chains to profit sharing. The mission of the Marcel A. Desautels Center for Private Enterprise and Law is to integrate the fields of law, business, and the humanities as they apply to family businesses and other private enterprises. A focus on private rather than public enterprises, and an interdisciplinary approach to understanding businessmen and their businesses, makes the Center unique among Canadian law schools and the challenges faced by these enterprises and their owners. Now you can tackle the problem. All stages of the life cycle of a private business, from conception to growth, development, maturity, succession, and disposal.
One of the challenges of human rights and business is communication. Family businesses around the world do not face this challenge to the same extent. This is because interactions between family members are usually simpler and this is reflected in the family business context. One of the key messages of the forum was the need for respectful and informed dialogue within companies and between companies and communities. The development of a business and human rights checklist for due diligence and fair outcomes in business supply chains is a pressing opportunity, and collaboration with the Human Rights Masters and Juris Doctor programs at the Faculty of Law is an important part of its development. It's an opportunity.
Forum sessions and participation
The forum hosted three full days of concurrent sessions, side events, and evening gatherings tailored to specific interests. Each day, sessions ran from 10am to 6pm, with notable opening and closing plenary sessions. The session was recorded and will be available for viewing on the 12th.th United Nations Business and Human Rights Forum website. Reimer attended her 12 sessions, including one side event, and was active in networking by distributing her 100 call for abstracts and her 100 postcards promoting research opportunities in business and human rights. I worked on it. Sessions included topics such as disability rights as part of business and human rights, small businesses as agents of change, understanding the intersection of advertising and human rights, and the transition of energy and extractive industries.
Key challenges and opportunities
The main global challenge identified by forum presenters was the lack of awareness and implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGP) in most industries around the world.
A key takeaway from the closing session was the global need for education on the UNGP. The development of programs to integrate the UNGP into public policy, law, and business classrooms was highlighted as a priority and is an encouraging outcome for the Desautels Center's efforts.
Education Business and Human Rights Forum
The Education Business and Human Rights Forum is a group that sponsors prestigious events. Business and Human Rights Journal (BHJR)The group, published by Cambridge University Press, aims to publish research and prepare scholars to advance the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which met the day after the forum. Dr. Reimer attended by invitation. Scholars from universities around the world participated, including Japan, Australia, Slovakia, Hong Kong, Geneva, England, Paris, Tokyo, Poland, Brazil, and American schools such as Columbia University, Harvard University, and Yale University. They discussed the possibility of expanding their knowledge of business and human rights through the development of course modules for law courses such as administrative law, public policy, and corporate social responsibility. They also talked about the popularity of business and human rights courses among students. Today's law students are a generation that wants to make a positive impact, and the scholars shared how students are passionate about learning about business and human rights. The Desautels Center plays an important role in developing guiding principles that apply to Manitoba businesses and across borders.
focus on indigenous peoples
Dialogue with indigenous peoples emerged as a central theme in various sessions, and the lack of dialogue that included free, prior, and informed consent was consistently raised by representatives of indigenous peoples from around the world. Obviously, Indigenous peoples are not against development or against oil and gas development, but they do want respectful business practices. Several large companies participating in the forum echoed this need and explained how they have changed their practices to align with the Guiding Principles and ensure better development outcomes for all involved. This theme has led the Desautels Center, in collaboration with the Faculty of Law's Office of the Director of Indigenous Learning Services and the L. Kelly Vicker Business Law Clinic, to highlight important topics in promoting the implementation of the UNGP, particularly in terms of respect. It became clear that I could play a role. Dialogue in indigenous legal issues and business development.
International influence and cooperation
Forum participants and panelists expressed the willingness of family businesses around the world to implement the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, but there are many challenges. The strong family structure of businesses in the Middle East facilitates dialogue on the UNGP. The implementation is not. The Desautels Center can play a vital role in the much-needed dialogue and communication of these guiding principles through its website portal and peer-reviewed journal focused on business law.
conclusion
The 12th United Nations Business and Human Rights Forum provided valuable insights, identified challenges and provided an opportunity for the Marcel A. Desautels Center for Private Enterprise Law to make significant contributions in this area. By focusing on business and human rights education, localizing the United Nations Guiding Principles, and actively engaging with Indigenous communities and family businesses, the Center intentionally positions itself as a Canadian leader in business and human rights research, education, and networking. It will be done. The Centre's next conference, to be held at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in collaboration with the University of Essex Human Rights Center on November 14-15, 2024, and the Faculty's current search for a Research Fellow in Business and Human Rights, will lead to further achievements. It is something to prove. Faculty efforts to advance this important field. Recognizing that Canada lacks a center for business and human rights, the Faculty of Law is excited to build on this opportunity as it develops with relevance and innovation.
