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The idea of human rights is as simple as it is powerful: That all people have a right to be treated with dignity. Businesses often impact the human rights of their employees and contract workers, workers in their supply chains, the communities around their operations, and even the end users of their products or services. Whether directly or indirectly, they impact virtually the entire spectrum of internationally recognized human rights.

As a result, companies have both a responsibility and an opportunity to advance human rights across operations, supply chains, and beyond. Is your company able to know and show that it supports and respects the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights and that it is not complicit in human rights abuses?

The Business & Human Rights Accelerator is a six-month hybrid program activating companies participating in the UN Global Compact across industries and regions. The objective is to help businesses swiftly move from commitment to action on human and labor rights by establishing an ongoing human rights due diligence process. Network USA is excited to welcome a select group of 20 companies into our cohort, and slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to all companies that apply and meet the necessary qualifications for participation.

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WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• How to identify your responsibilities in respecting human rights and labor rights, expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
• How to establish an ongoing human rights due diligence process in line with international standards
• How to report and communicate on your human rights due diligence journey, including through the Communication on Progress, the annual public disclosure requirement for all UN Global Compact participants

WHAT YOU WILL GAIN

• An understanding of where your company is on their human rights journey
• An assessment of actual and potential adverse human rights impacts and the ability to prioritize action
• The ability to mitigate your human rights impacts, including grievance mechanisms and remedy
• Ways to engage stakeholders on business impacts
• An action plan to advance human rights in your company and beyond
• A network of peers, UN partners and experts to support your human rights journey and work collectively to tackle persistent barriers to human rights due diligence
• A certificate demonstrating completion of program

TIMELINE

Company registration: September 11, 2024 – December 15, 2024

Program begins: February 2025

Program ends: July 2025

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