Advisory and Mediation Panel Guidelines
Companies are able to benefit from appointing an Advisory and Mediation Panel, which can provide independent advice to the company and serve as an intermediary with stakeholders in resolving each remedy case related to business and human rights. "Engagement and Remedy Guidelines", which provide practical guide to establish effective operational level grievance mechanisms, also mention the benefits of using the Advisory and Mediation Panel.
Therefore, BHR Lawyers Network Japan has formulated "Advisory and Mediation Panel Guidelines". The Guidelines sets out clear standards on which the Advisory and Mediation Panel provides engagement and remedy support in a manner that will enhance the effectiveness of grievance procedures, while maintaining its independence from business enterprises.
The Guidelines has been used also by Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER).
The Guidlines are comprised of the following six(6) articles.
Article 1. Composition of Advisory and Mediation Panel
Article 2. Independence of Advisory and Mediation Panel
Article 3. Standards of Conduct for Advisory and Mediation Panel
Article 4. Description of Duties of Advisory and Mediation Panel
Article 5. Documentation of Engagement Contracts
Article 6. Compensation for Advisory and Mediation Panel Members
Advisory and Meadiation
Panel Guidlines
Advisory and Mediation Panel
Candidate Members List
As part of the Engagement and Remedy Project, BHR Lawyers Network Japan has formulated and published "Advisory and Mediation Panel
Candidate Members List".
The List include lawyers and professionals who are recognized as having expertise and experience in advising and intermediating in areas related to law, human rights, labor, environment and development, dispute resolution, supply chain management, and other sustainability-related areas, and who are available to serve as members of the Advisory and Mediation Panel.
Ths List has been also used by Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER).
Advisory and Mediation Panel
Candidate Members List
（As of April, 2023）
Engagement and Remedy Project
The Guidelines and the List explained above was formulated as an output of the Engagement and Remedy Project, which was implemented by Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan, Global Compact Network Japan, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, and Sasakawa Peace Foundation from 2020 to 2022. It was also based on the discussions at the Japan Responsible Supply Chain Committee.
We would like to thank the participating organizations and the working group members of the Engagement and Remedy Project as well as member of the Japan Responsible Supply Chain Committee and many other stakeholders.
Working Group Members of Engagement and Remedy Project (as of December 2021)
- Akihiro Ueda Researcher, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
- Keiichi Ujiie Deputy Director General, Global Compact Network Japan
- Sakon Kuramoto Steering Committee Officer, BHR Lawyers Network Japan
- Akiko Sato Japan Researcher, Business and Human Rights Resource Center
- Toshio Shikata LRQA Sustainability K.K. (formerly Fuji Oil Holdings Inc.)
- Takeshi Shimodaya Representative Director, The Global Alliance for Sustainable Supply Chain (ASSC)
- Daisuke Takahashi Steering Committee Officer, BHR Lawyers Network Japan
- Ryusuke Tanaka Program Officer, International Labor Organization (ILO) Office for Japan
- Hidemi Tomita Managing Director, LRQA Sustainability K.K..
Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy (JaCER)
Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER) was established in June 2022 as the achievement of integrating knowledge and accomplishments of the "Engagement and Remedy Guidelines", the "Engagement and Remedy Project”; and the CSR Committee of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA); and its Grievance Working Groups.
The JaCER intends to provide a non-judicial platform for grievance redress and act in a professional capacity to support redress of grievances by participating companies based on the United Nations' Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights for the purpose of promoting engagement and remedy and improving the level of trust in the international community for Japanese industries.
Contact
Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan Secretariat
(Attorney Sakon Kuramoto / Attorney Daisuke Takahashi)
Email: bhrlawyers.japan@gmail.com
C/O Research Center for Sustainable Peace (RCSP), the University of Tokyo 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, JAPAN
TEL: +81-3-5465-8842