The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) is pleased to support the upcoming ASEAN Responsible Business Forum, which will take place on 27-29 October in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Expected to bring together over 150 stakeholders from the public and private sectors as well as civil society members, the forum will promote responsible business practices in Asia, especially in the post-2015 ASEAN economic community. Topics of discussion will include sustainability of agricultural and extractive sectors, respect of human rights, anti-corruption initiatives and decent workplaces. One of the side-events of this forum will focus on “Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights”.
The forum is also an opportunity to present ASEF’s new publication on Human Rights and Businesses, which is based on the recommendations and discussions from the 14th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights that took place in October 2014 in Viet Nam. Topics covered in this publication include the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and their application to ASEM members, particularly on state duty to protect human rights against violations by businesses; corporate responsibility and its contribution to human rights implementation; monitoring, reporting and access to remedies; and multi-stakeholder cooperation.
The Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights series is organised by ASEF, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, and the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.