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Engagemenr and Remedy Forum 2022​
for Responsible Business Conduct

Towards Implementation of Grievance Mechanisms in Japan

 

Date: 13:00-16:00 (Tokyo),  28th February 2022
Place: Zoom Online

Language: Simultaneous Translation Provided

Registration: Please register from here
Co-hosts: Global Compact Network Japan (GCNJ), Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan (BHR Lawyers), Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, Sasakawa Peace Foundation

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights set access to remedy as one of the key three pillars, and urges business enterprises to “establish or participate in effective operational-level grievance mechanisms for individuals and communities who may be adversely impacted.” To that end, Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan and the Global Compact Network Japan led an initiative with a variety of stakeholders and experts to develop the “Engagement & Remedy Guidelines” which embodies the remedy principle, and publicly announced it at this Forum in 2020. And last fiscal year, at the Forum in 2021, an intention to establish a collective operational-level grievance mechanism in Japan was formally expressed. 

In this fiscal year, we began developing two projects which are interrelated with each other. One, which is led by the LRQA Sustainability, is to establish the first collective grievance center within the Japan Electronics and Information Technology industries Association (JEITA). The other, led by BHR Lawyers, is to develop an “Engagement & Remedy Support Program” which aims to support mediation during the grievance processes. 

Today, we are happy to announce that both of these projects are completed. At this Forum, we would like to explain the detail of what we call the we call the “Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights”, and hear opinion and comments from experts. We will also invite distinguished guests from Japan and abroad, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and share the latest development on business and human rights.  

Tentative Program

Opening Remarks

  Mr. Itsu Adachi (SPF Executive Director)

 

In Memory of Prof. John Ruggie (Video)

 

1st Session: Progress on the Collective Grievance Mechanisms in Japan
Moderator: Mr. Keiichi Ujiie (GCNJ)

Guest Speaker: Progress of METI
  Mr. Gen Toyoda (METI) 

Special Report on Engagement & Remedy Center and Collective Grievance Mechanisms
  Mr. Hidemi Tomita (LRQA Sustainability) 
Special Report on Engagement & Remedy Center and Advisory Committee
  Mr. Sakon Kuramoto (BHR Lawyers)

 

Comments from Stakeholders and Experts
-    Mr. Allan Jorgensen (OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct)*Video Message
-    Phil Bloomer (Business and Human Rights Resource Centre) *Video Message
-    Mr. Hideki Wakabayashi (JANIC)
-    Mr. Ryusuke Tanaka (ILO Japan)
-    Ms. Emiko Nagasawa (Keidanren)

2nd Session: Panel Discussion on the challenges towards realization of Grievance Mechanisms in Japan
Moderator: Dr. Akihiro Ueda (SPF)

 

 Prof. Surya Deva (UN Business and Human Rights Working Group)
 Mr. Toshio Shikata (Former Fujiseiyu Group,  LRQA Sustainability)
 Mr. Daisuke Takahashi (BHR Lawyers)
 Ms. Akiko Sato (Human Rights Now)

 

Closing Remarks 

 Prof. Yasunobu Sato (BHR Lawyers and The University of Tokyo)
 


 

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