The Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan (BHR Lawyers) is an information-sharing network established through the collective action of lawyers, scholars, business persons and other legal specialists active in diverse areas ranging from business law practices to human rights advocacy.
Through the advancement of Business and Human Rights practices in Japan, the BHR Lawyers is promoting business to respect human rights and facilitating dialogues among stakeholders to ensure the access to remedies.
Our Goal
COVID-19 & BHR Basic Actions
The pandemic of COVID-19 has had a serious negative impact on human rights. In addition to governmental measures, business are also expected to companies are expected to consider and explore ways to mitigate the negative impact on human rights (See Japan COVID-19 & BHR Research Report "COVID-19 Impacts on Human Rights and Guidance on Japanese Business Response").
BHR Lawyers has launched “Japan COVID-19 & BHR Basic Actions - Basic Actions for Promoting Innovative and Responsible Business Conduct for Building Back Better from COVID-19 Crisis" with support of institutional investors and other stakeholders. The Basic Actions list ten actions that Japanese companies are expected to take for promoting responsible business conduct in accordance with the Guiding Principles during and beyond the COVID-19 crisis.
Engagement & Remedy Guidelines
The Japan Responsible Supply Chains Committee, which is comprised of multi-stakeholder members, and which is led by the Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan ("BHR Lawyers") and the Global Compact Network Japan ("GCNJ"), and supported by the Civil Society Platform for Japan’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights ("BHR-NAP-CSP"), has formulated and announced the first edition of "Engagement" and "Remedy" Guidelines for Promotion of Responsible Business Conduct and Responsible Supply Chains.
This project has been conducted under the assistance and advice of the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct and the ILO Office for Japan and accredited as the Tokyo 2020 Support Program (Sustainability).
The Guidelines also intend to contribute to the development of the legacy of Tokyo 2020, the enrichment of the content of Japan's National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, and the effective dissemination of the ESG initiatives by Japanese companies.
Guidelines Launch Event on Feb. 3, 2020
As the launch event of the "Engagement" and "Remedy" Guidelines, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Global Compact Network Japan (GCNJ), and BHR Lawyers Network Japan (BHR Lawyers) co-organized a public symposium "Towards Promotion of Responsible Business Conduct and Supply Chains: Roles of National Action Plans on Business & Human Rights and “Engagement” & “Remedy” Guidelines".
