Interpretation provided in English, French and SpanishSession organized by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Webcast of the session:Meeting linkMeeting number: 841 119 422
Password: Fy2ggiUD
State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are an enduring and significant feature of the global economy. They can have major environmental, social and human rights impacts. While some SOEs lead on responsible business conduct and human rights, others lag behind and are involved in business-related human rights abuse.
The session led by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights will explore the relationship between SOEs and the States that own or control them, lessons learned from efforts to implement the corporate responsibility to respect in SOE policies and practice, and reflections on what it will take for SOEs more widely to lead by example.
The discussion builds on similar sessions at previous UN Forums. The
Working Group’s report on SOEs provides a key reference. It proposed a framework for government ownership and corporate governance of SOEs based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State-owned Enterprises.
Speakers from SOEs and other stakeholder perspectives will offer their lessons learned and reflections on:
- Which policy, regulatory and management tools governments are using and could use to ensure corporate governance of SOEs that aligns with international standards for responsible business?
- What kind of policies, models and tools are available specifically to ensure that SOEs are role models on responsible business conduct and human rights?
- Why are SOEs’ human rights impacts and State duties towards them still a neglected issue?
- What needs to happen? What concrete steps should be taken by States and SOEs to truly lead by example?
