Human Rights

Under the UN Global Compact’s first two principles, signatories to the Global Compact commit to support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights, and make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses. Other principles, namely those relating to labour, also concern respect for human rights. 

But what are the policies and processes that businesses can and should put in place to help them meet these principles? And how do recent international and domestic developments fit into the equation, not least the convergence at the international level based on the endorsement in 2011 of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights?  

In 2010 the Global Compact Network Australia established a Human Rights Leadership Group for Business to help Australian businesses answer these questions.

It is intended to provide Australian businesses with an informal forum for joint learning and best practice sharing, as well as to stay updated on key domestic and international developments in the business and human rights space. It is anticipated that the Leadership Group will convene quarterly. The meetings will operate under Chatham House rules to maximise information exchange.

The Leadership Group will focus on building capacity amongst Australian businesses to manage both human rights-related challenges and opportunities. However, acknowledging the importance of multistakeholder dialogue in this area, the Global Compact Network Australia aims to facilitate opportunities for such exchange.

The Leadership Group’s inaugural meeting was held in Melbourne on 10 December 2010 and key forums have been held in Sydney and Perth since. Key discussion themes and media releases are now available.  Participants have ranged from large transnational corporations to small and medium sized enterprises, spanning the telecommunications, banking, mining, retail and utilities sectors amongst others.  

This portal will provide information as to the Leadership Group’s activities. It will also point to relevant international and domestic resources. Tools developed through the Group and hosted on this site may only be available to GCNA members.

Cost: Non-GCNA members will be asked to pay a small fee to attend Human Rights Leadership Group meetings.

The Leadership Group’s activities are being coordinated by an expert advisor to the Global Compact Network Australia’s board with input from a steering committee comprising board members and other GCNA members participating in the Leadership Group. Any questions about the Leadership Group should be directed to the Secretariat Global Compact Network Australia: secretariat@unglobalcompact.org.au.