In 2020, the national network of the UN Global Compact launches a new format for a partnership all-Russian study on the topic of “business and human rights” with the involvement of experts in each of the areas (company survey, legal examination, expert and analytical comments). This is the first all-Russian study on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles of Entrepreneurship in the aspect of human rights in the strategies and practices of Russian companies.
In order to promote Russian business in the field of human rights, taking into account the context of sustainable development, the national network of the UN Global Compact, together with key partners (the Joint Program of the Russian Federation and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Embassy of Switzerland in Russia, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, and others, as well as with the support and taking into account the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation) regularly initiates and conducts activities aimed at promoting the adoption in Russia of the UN Guidelines for Entrepreneurship in the aspect of human rights (RP) and other aspects of the topic “business and human rights”.The UN DG network provides its platform for bringing together all interested parties, forming a consolidated position and conducting joint information and analytical work, regularly holds expert discussions and thematic discussions. At the initiative of the network, for the first time in 2017, an examination of the RP in comparison with Russian legislation was conducted and a program of Russian business was organized as part of the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva; In 2019, a series of international educational seminars was launched in Moscow.
The next step necessary for a wide circle of companies, organizations and experts is the first all-Russian study on “business and human rights” in the context of modern UN approaches, which the UN DG network conducts in 2020 (the working title is “Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles for Entrepreneurship activities in the aspect of human rights in the strategies and practices of Russian companies ”). To conduct it and ensure a high expert status, the UN GC Network Russia attracts international consultants - Deloitte CIS and FBK Legal (FBK Thornton) to collaborate.
The main objectives of the study: to study the extent and characteristics of involving a business operating in Russia in the promotion and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles of Entrepreneurship in the aspect of rights; identification of the main requests and priorities of Russian companies in the field of human rights; expanding expertise and opportunities for methodological support of companies in the process of forming corporate standards in the field of human rights; the development of discussions on the necessary immediate steps by the state, the business community and civil society in order to minimize human rights risks for all parties, taking into account international standards.
The research concept involves three thematic levels: corporate, legal and expert; publication of results on thematic media resources; presentation and discussion of the results of the study in Russia and in the framework of the Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva; inclusion of materials and results of discussions in reports and programs of events of the UN Global Compact, etc. The results will also be used to compile reference and abstract materials addressed to the Government of Russia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the UN in Russia, and the UN (Working Group on Business and Human Rights, etc.), to the Russian and world business community and experts.