Engagemenr and Remedy Forum
for Responsible Business Conduct 2021
Global Compact Network Japan (GCNJ), Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan (BHR Lawyers), Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, and Sasakawa Peace Foundation will host "Engagemenr and Remedy Forum for Responsible Business Conduct 2021".
The "Engagement & Remedy Guidelines" was published in December 2019. As a launch event of the Guidelines, the symposium "Towards Promotion of Responsible Business Conduct and Supply Chains" was held in February 2020.
The purpose of this Forum is to maintain and enhance the momentum for strengthening the grievance mechanism of Japanese business, which was established through the above Symposium.
After last year’s Symposium, there were two major developments. The first one is that the Japanese Government launched the “National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights” (NAP) in October 2020. The other development is that the “Engagement and Remedy Project” which aims to implement the the Grievance Center Guideline was launched by the co-organizers of this Forum. This Forum provides the latest findings and good practices about grievance mechanisms in and outside of Japan, as well as discusses the roles that the NAP and the Engagement & Remedy Project will play in terms of promoting grievance mechanisms.
In this Forum, we invite Professor John Ruggie, former UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises for the keynote address. We also invite Mr. Mikito Toyama, director of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Moreover, we invite distinguished panelists and commentators for this event. We look forward to your attendance.
＜Date & Time＞
February 26, 2021 13：00～17：00
＊1st Session 13：00-15：00 2nd Session 15:10-17:00
＜Format＞
Zoom Online Meeting
＊Free Registration、500 Participants Max
＜Registration＞
Please register from https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0aS7WUSxSICANgZaAJOLTA
＊If you have any inquiries, please contact the Engagement & Remedy Forum Secretariat at （a-ueda@spf.or.jp）.
＜Organizers＞
Global Compact Network Japan (GCNJ), Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan (BHR Lawyers), Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, and Sasakawa Peace Foundation
＜Languages＞
Japanese/English Simultaneous Translation will be provided.
＜Tentative Program＞
Opening Remarks Dr. Atsushi Sunami (President, Sasakawa Peace Foundation）
1st Session:
High-level Session “Role of Grievance Mechanisms -Towards the Implementation of Engagement and Remedy Guidelines”
＜Moderators＞
Mr. Keiichi Ujiie（GCNJ）, Mr. Daisuke Takahashi（BHR Lawyers）
＜Keynote Address＞
Prof. John Ruggie （Harvard University, Arabesque Group）”Grievance Mechanisms in the UN Guiding Principles”（Video Message）
＜Special Report＞
Mr. Sakon Kuramoto（BHR Lawyers）”Updates and Future Plans on Engagement and Remedy Guidelines”
＜Guest Report＞
Mr. Mikito Toyama（Ministry of Foreign Affairs） ”Access to Remedy in the NAP and Expectations for Business”
＜Comments＞
“Expectations for Initiatives based on Engagement and Remedy Guidelines”
Commentators
-
Mr. Nicolas Hachez, OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct (Video Message)
-
Mr. Ryosuke Tanaka, ILO Office for Japan
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Mr. Toshio Shikata, Fuji Oil Group
-
Ms, Miyuki Zeniya, Dai-ichi Life Insurance
-
Mr. Shoichi Ibusuki, Lawyers Network for Foreign Workers
＜Q&A＞
2nd Session
Panel Discussion“Towards the Formation of a Platform for Engagement & Remedy”
＜Moderator＞
Dr. Akihiro Ueda (Sasakawa Peace Foundation）
＜Presentation＆ Discussion＞
Panelists
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Ms. Akiko Sato, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
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Dr. Patricia Waagstein, University of Indonesia
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Mr. Theo Jaekl, Ericcson.
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Mr. Yozo Nakao, Ajinomoto
-
Ms. Ka Ea Lim, Responsible Business Alliance （tbc）
＜Q&A＞
Closing Remarks Mr. Makoto Saito, Steering Committee Officer, BHR Lawyers