Source: World Vision
Hundreds of business leaders from across New Zealand and Australia are this week attending the inaugural United Nations Business and Human Rights Regional Forum in Melbourne to learn more about ethical and responsible business practices.
| World Vision New Zealand is jointly hosting the forum which will feature keynote speakers, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, the OECD’s Allan Jorgensen, Meta’s Miranda Sissons, and leading businesses such as Australia’s BHP. The Forum is the largest regional gathering ito explore the intersection of business and human rights and aims to help businesses adopt responsible commercial practices at a time of increasing global turbulence. It will cover issues from modern slavery in supply chains, responsible use of AI, and the human rights impacts of climate change. World Vision’s Head of Advocacy and Justice, Rebekah Armstrong, says the forum is a wake-up call for New Zealand which risks falling behind on global standards for corporate accountability. She says Australia is already taking bold steps, including introducing modern slavery laws in 2018, appointing two Anti-Slavery Commissioners, and most recently naming an Ambassador to Counter Modern Slavery, People Smuggling, and Human Trafficking. “Here in New Zealand, we are falling further and further behind Australia. We don’t even have a law to report on or mitigate modern slavery in our supply chains; we have no independent commission or body to provide oversight on modern slavery; and we have no formal protections or support for victims-survivors. We are not operating in the 21st Century,” she says. Armstrong says the Forum comes at a pivotal moment for New Zealand in which two Modern Slavery Bills are currently in the parliamentary private members’ ballot. In addition, long-overdue amendments to the Crimes Act to strengthen the trafficking in persons framework were recently announced by the Minister of Justice. “This Forum is a chance for New Zealand voices to be heard on the global stage, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity for New Zealand business leaders to learn, be inspired, and to bring back the insights we need to drive respect for human rights in business here at home.” Armstrong says the Forum’s agenda reflects the growing consensus that voluntary measures are no longer enough to address human rights concerns. “The challenges in this area are only growing and we need business and government to take action to address them. From child labour in cocoa supply chains to the climate impacts of fossil fuels, Kiwi businesses are linked to serious human rights risks. Where the international rules-based order is under threat, business’ ability to do good, respect human rights and stand in the gap is incredibly important,” she says.
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