From November 25 to 27, the 13th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights took place in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum was attended by around 3,000 in-person visitors and approximately 1,000 online participants, representing 156 countries. The forum has established itself as a key platform where representatives from businesses, non-governmental organisations, consultants, academia, and various experts discuss the relationship between business activities and respect for human rights. The main theme of this year’s forum was “Realizing the ‘Smart Mix of Measures’ to Protect Human Rights in the Context of Business Activities.”
The principle of the “smart mix of measures” is outlined in Pillar 1 which addresses the role of states according to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It represents a combination of international, national, voluntary, and mandatory measures through which states encourage businesses to respect human rights. Examples of mandatory measures include various legislative initiatives for mandatory due diligence in the European Union. For example, some voluntary measures involve applying various voluntary standards, such as the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact or participation in the Ethical Trading Initiative. Other international measures include capacity building for workers in global supply chains, improving public procurement practices, and incentive schemes for companies.
The forum also explored broader topics, with one session focusing on different approaches in education related to business and human rights training. The growing need for in-depth research in the field and the implementation of innovative training methods for experts to meet the requirements of this complex and interdisciplinary field became evident.
Among the key topics discussed at the forum were: the role of financial institutions and states in the transition to a green economy and how they can influence businesses, as well as how voluntary and mandatory measures can overcome limitations and support a just transition; human rights risks arising from the deployment of artificial intelligence and ways to prevent them, including sharing good practices; trends and issues related to the labor exploitation of migrants and the challenges and benefits of applying the “employer pays” principle when hiring workers from different countries; the urgent need to include small and medium-sized enterprises, which indirectly face increased reporting requirements due to the implementation of various legislative initiatives; the risks of climate change and the growing number of climate-related lawsuits; distinguishing between rights-holders and stakeholders; as well as the need for effective mechanisms for protecting affected individuals.
The success of the forum lies in the participants’ willingness to collaborate and support each other by applying human rights-based practices. The relatively small number of representatives from public institutions can be seen as an opportunity for further development of the topic, with expectations for greater participation from the public sector in future editions. In light of current trends and ongoing negotiations for the creation of an international legally binding instrument to regulate the activities of transnational corporations and other business organizations within the context of international human rights law, the commitment of states is crucial. The active role of the newest member of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Professor Lira Yakulevichiene, brings new energy and opportunities for advancing the work in the relationship between business and human rights in Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
