The Department of International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, together with the Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) co-hosted the Responsible Business and Human Rights (RBHR) Forum during 12 – 13 June 2019 at the United Nations Conference Center, Bangkok. 

 

The RBHR Forum is part of the Fostering Responsible Conduct Project, under the OECD – Thailand Country Programme. It was the first time the Forum was held outside the OECD Headquarter in Paris, as part of the third edition of Bangkok Business and Human Rights (BBHR) week with the aim of building momentum upon these issues in Asia, led by Thailand.

 

Several aspects of human rights and responsible business conduct were discussed at the RBHR Forum, such as the role of government and private sectors in fostering responsible business conduct, including how to support SMEs and reduce their costs in managing the businesses responsibly; and the role of the private sector in achieving SDGs. Moreover, best practices in several business sectors and on various specific issues were discussed during the deep-dive breakout sessions such as due diligence in agriculture and the food sector, infrastructure and electronic components, etc.

 

Mr. Pongsatorn Sajjacholpund, Vice Minister for Justice, as representative of the Royal Thai Government, delivered Opening Remarks emphasising the importance of the issue of human rights as one of the national agendas, as well as the promotion of responsible business conduct in Thailand. This vision was highly praised, especially for Thailand’s leading role in promoting human rights and responsible business conduct in Asia as it is the first country in the region to have initiated the drafting process of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP), as well as for being the host country for the RBHR Forum.

 

The Forum received wide attention and was an outstanding success, with over 700 registered participants from 60 countries, comprised of representatives from government and private sectors, NGOs and academics.