International Seminar on Business and Human Rights

The registration is now open for the International Seminar on Business and Human Rights which will take place on 4 & 5 December 2008 in Paris, France to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This will be a key international opportunity to review global progress on this issue over recent years and chart the developments ahead. The event will bring together business, political, civil society and trade union leaders as well as diverse learning from around the world.

Speakers & Programme
Confirmed senior representatives to share their expertise at the Seminar include:

Mary Robinson, President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative

Carl-Henric Svanberg, President & CEO, ERICSSON

Lise Kingo, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff (COS), Novo Nordisk

Gary Steel, Executive Vice President and Head of Human Resources, ABB

John Ruggie, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the issue of Human Rights, Transnational Corporations, Other Business Enterprises

Souhayr Belhassen, President, International Federation for Human Rights, FIDH

Irene Khan, Secretary General, Amnesty International

Mike Posner, President, Human Rights First

Guy Ryder, Secretary General, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

Ingrid Srinath, Secretary General, CIVICUS

Plenary and interactive sessions:
4 December 2008 – Global Challenges of our time; a Business and Human Rights Framework

Human Rights and Global Issues of our Time

Implementing a Common Framework on Business and Human Rights

Business Addressing Global Issues – The Responsibility to Respect Human Rights, Due Diligence and Avoiding Complicity

Business Addressing Global Issues – The Value of a Human Rights-aware Approach by Business to Key Global Challenges

Background
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, so the Paris location has been chosen as a deliberate tribute to this.
Building on the success of the Business and Human Rights Seminars organized in London in 2003, 2004 and 2005 (www.bhrseminar.org), this year’s Seminar is organised by a multi-stakeholder International Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is coordinated by the secretariat of the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR), a programme to help developing the corporate response to human rights and Entreprises pour les Droits de l’Homme (EDH), a francophone business-led initiative inspired by the work of BLIHR.

Registration Details
http://www.anniversaryseminar.org/

For additional information on the International Seminar please contact Charis Desinioti (cd@anniversaryseminar.org or +33 (0) 158 07 77 10).