The Three Pillars of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Thursday
22nd SEPTEMBER 2016
8:00 - 8:30
Participant Check-in and Continental Breakfast
8:30 - 8:35
Welcome, Conference Objectives and Agenda
Speakers
Cindy Sawyer
International Labor Relations and Workplace Rights Director, The Coca-Cola Company
8:35 - 10:00
Leadership Dialogue and Perspectives on Human Rights and Business by Brent Wilton
Government Leader Perspective of Human Rights and Business by Ambassador Andrew Jackson Young, Jr.
Author's Perspective on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, focusing on the Protect, Respect, and Remedy Framework, including where we are now and lessons learned by John Ruggie
Q&A
Speakers
Brent Wilton
Global Workplace and Human Rights Director, The Coca-Cola Company
Ambassador Andrew Jackson Young, Jr.
14th United States Ambassador to the United Nations, 55th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, and Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th district
John Ruggie
Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights and an Affiliated Professor in International Legal Studies at Harvard Law School
10:00 - 10:15
Break
10:15 - 11:15
The Evolution of State Protection: What's new at the national and global levels regarding Government's Responsibility to Protect Human Rights
Q&A
Moderator
Sarah Fox
Special Representative for International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Speaker
Thomas Richards
Chief of Staff, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor
Ariel Meyerstein
Vice President for Labor Affairs, Corporate Responsibility and Corporate – Governance, U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB)
Phil Bloomer
Executive Director, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
Michael Addo
Member of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Business and – Human Rights and Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter
11:15 - 11:45
Decent Work in the Global Economy
Speaker
Chris Lu
Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor
11:45 - 1:00
Lunch/Break
12:45 - 1:30
Lunch/Break
1:00 - 2:00
How the Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights is developing, including the identification of salient human rights issues and reporting
Q&A
Moderator
Linda Kromjong
Secretary-General of the International Organization of Employers (IOE)
Speaker
Caroline Rees
President, Shift
John Morrison
Executive Director, Institute for Human Rights and Business
Teresa Fogelberg
Deputy Chief Executive, GRI
2:00 - 3:00
Round Table Discussion on the Respect Pillar
30 Minute Round Table Discussion
Process:
- Tables will be given questions to consider
- Facilitators assigned to each table to guide the discussion
- Tables asked to designate one participant to report out, if table is called on
- One “note taker” assigned to each table to capture key discussion points
30 Minute Table Discussion Report Outs
Process:
- Moderator facilitates report outs and Subject Matter Experts provide further comments and insights
- Approx. five tables selected to report out on points discussed (5 minutes each or less)
- Moderator will probe for understanding and glean key insights
- Different tables will be called on to report out later in the Conference
3:00 - 3:15
Break
3:15 - 3:45
Shifting realities of Grievance Mechanisms and their impact on affected rights holders
Speaker
Cherie Blair
CBE, QC - Chair, Omnia Strategy LLP
3:45 - 4:45
How Expectations regarding Grievance Mechanisms are changing and should be actioned
Q&A
Moderator
James Plunkett
Director of Labor Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Speaker
Ron Oswald
General Secretary of the International Union of Food and Allied Workers
Melike Yetken
Senior Adviser, Corporate Responsibility, U.S. Department of State
Kevin Coon
Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie's Toronto Office
Yousuf Aftab
Principal, Enodo Rights
4:45 - 5:15
Business and Human Rights: Where will the coming years likely take us
Speaker
John Ruggie
Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights and an Affiliated Professor in International Legal Studies at Harvard Law School
5:15 - 5:30
Wrap-up and Next Steps
Speaker
Brent Wilton
Director of Global Workplace Rights, The Coca-Cola Company
5:30 - 7:00
Cocktail Reception
At the Coca-Cola Company’s Headquarters following the Conference
Friday
23rd SEPTEMBER 2016 (Side Event)
8:00 - 8:30
Participant Check-in and Continental Breakfast
8:30 - 9:45
The Role of Employer Organizations in Global Policy Engagement on Human Rights and Labor Standards
This session will include an overview of employer organization engagement in global policy discussions on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises; a debrief of the June 2016 Intergovernmental Working Group on the development of a treaty on transnational corporations & human rights Treaty; and a preview of 5th Annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights (Nov 2016).
Moderator
Laura Chapman Rubbo
Director of International Labor Standards, The Walt Disney Company
Speakers
Ariel Meyerstein
Vice President for Labor Affairs, Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Governance, U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB)
Linda Kromjong
Secretary-General of the International Organization of Employers (IOE)
James Plunkett
Director of Labor Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
9:45 - 10:00
Break
10:00 - 11:30
Employer Updates on Policy Initiatives on Multinational Enterprises and Global Supply Chains
This session will inform participants about the outcomes of:
- The International Labor Organization’s General Discussion on Decent Work in Global Supply Chains in June 2016 and the related business strategy;
- The first meeting of the Tripartite Working Group, which is tasked to review the ILO MNE Declaration, and the business strategy.
Moderator
Linda Kromjong
Secretary-General, International Organization of Employers
Speakers
Ed Potter
Employers` Spokesperson in the ILC Discussion on Decent Work in Global Supply Chains
Ariel Meyerstein
Vice President for Labor Affairs, Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Governance, U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB)
Matthias Thorns
Senior Advisor, International Organization of Employers
11:30 - 12:30
New Initiatives Promoting Ethical Recruitment and New Legal Tools for Combating Forced Labor and Human Trafficking
This session will discuss recent laws, policies, international instruments and multi-stakeholder cooperative mechanisms for promoting ethical recruitment practices and combatting forced labor. Panel members will discuss the importance and inter-linkages of the 2015 ILO Protocol on Forced Labor, the UK Modern Slavery Bill, the California Transparency Act, the Obama Executive Order on Public Procurement, as well as other similar pending legislation and instruments.
Moderator
David Schilling
Senior Program Director, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR)
Speakers
Cherie Blair
CBE, QC - Chair, Omnia Strategy LLP
John Morrison
Executive Director, Institute for Human Rights and Business
Lara White
Senior Labor Migration Specialist, International Organization on Migration
Houtan Homayounpour
Forced Labor Specialist, International Labor Organization
12:30 - 1:30
Lunch/Conclusion