Status and perspectives on mandatory human rights due diligence legislation in the Nordics

On the occasion of the 8th UN Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights in 2019, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN in Geneva, DanChurchAid, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, the Danish Institute for Human Rights and the Nordic Business Network for Human Rights for the first time hosted a roundtable on Promoting effective human rights due diligence - Nordic perspectives on the ‘smart mix’.

Since the 2019 roundtable, the discussion on mandatory human rights due diligence (MHRDD) as a central part of a smart mix has continued to gain momentum across Europe. Businesses and States in the Nordic region have long been perceived as leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility and business and human rights.

However, apart from non-financial reporting requirements, no MHRDD legislation is currently in place in the region. In several Nordic countries, stakeholder dialogues, consultation and policy processes have however started to identify current gaps and opportunities for potential legal measures to further embed due diligence in business practices nationally and through a regional measure, as currently envisaged by the EU Commission.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DanChurchAid, the Danish Institute for Human Rights and the Nordic Business Network for Human Rights are pleased to invite Nordic stakeholders to continue this important discussion on March 25th.

Event objective

This even seeks to convene key actors from the Nordic countries including representatives of states, civil society, business, trade unions, national human rights institutions and academia to:

• Take stock of developments at national level in the Nordic countries
• Discuss Nordic perspectives on EU legislative process in light of recent consultation.

Programme

9.00 - 9.05: WELCOME

• Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN in Geneva, Amb. Morten Jespersen

9.05 - 9.15: KEYNOTE

• Anita Ramasastry, Member, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights & Professor of Law, University of Washington School of Law.

9.15 – 9.30: SNAPSHOT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF A ‘SMART MIX’ OF MEASURES ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NORDICS

• Gabrielle Holly, Senior advisor, Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR)

9.30 – 10.15: COUNTRY LEVEL EXCHANGE ON THE SMART MIX – NATIONAL AND EU LEVEL

- moderation by Elin Wrzoncki, Director Business and Human Rights, DIHR

• Finland – Kent Wilska, Commercial Counsellor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Sweden – Mikael Ståhl, Deputy Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Denmark – Mette Schiøtz Sørensen, Senior advisor, Danish Business Authority
• Norway (TBC)
• Respondent - EU and Nordic perspective - Heidi Hautala, Member of European Parliament, The Greens

10.15 – 10.55: NON-STATE PERSPECTIVES ON NORDIC SMART MIX DEVELOPMENTS

- moderation by Jonas Nøddekær, International Director, DanChurchAid

• Emily Crawford, Vestas Wind Systems and Chrisanne Kouzas, Neste Group, Nordic business Network on Human Rights members
• Beate Ekeløve-Slydal, Political Advisor, Amnesty Norway
• Gry Saul, International consultant, Confederation of Danish Industries
• Anu Kultalahti, Researcher, Finnwatch
• Peter Ahrenfeldt Schrøder, Policy Advisor, Danish Trade Union Confederation

10.55 – 11.00: CLOSING PERSPECTIVES

• Elin Wrzoncki, Human Rights and Business Director, DIHR & Jonas Nøddekær, International Director,  DanChurchAid

Registration

Registering is no longer possible because the maximum of participants has been reached for this event.

If you want to receive a video recording of the meeting after the event has taken place, please contact Florence Khardine at flkh@humanrights.dk. We will save your email for this purpose only and will be erased shortly after the recording of the meeting has been processed and sent out.