It’s been a privilege working with the Thomson Reuters Foundation (Inclusive Economies team) over the last few months to develop a training framework, materials & indicators linked to the S in ESG and the UNGPs on Business and Human Rights.
It will be evolving with training of trainers and testing in geographies other than the UK/EU. No doubt there will be updates and revisions as it rolls out in various countries.
Delivering the pilot training in London was aimed at testing the materials & objectives. The group of experienced human rights practitioners were drawn from business, trade unions, researchers, lawyers and NGOs. Their input & feedback helped with calibrating & refining the two day agenda.
In May 2023, I participated in a discussion on how we develop human rights training that changes behaviour This thought provoking discussion resonated with my own journey communicating on labour rights within the Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) processes. The bulk of HRDD training is information heavy and, in my humble experience, heavily Eurocentric.
Questions behind the materials
Taking the brief and the idea of driving change into consideration, the questions I asked myself along the way have been:
- How can we ensure a level playing field where all stakeholders and rights holders are equally involved in the UNGP/HRDD processes?
- How can we design training activities that empower delegates to become agents of change within their areas of influence?
- How can we utilise the extensive knowledge, guidance, and research on the UNGPs to create foundations for future initiatives?
- Lastly, how can we establish a dialogue that transcends Eurocentrism and is inclusive of all perspectives?
Time & further testing as this rolls out will no doubt show whether the framework empowers and enables future delegates.