IHRB Patron Mary Robinson Addresses UN Forum on Business and Human Rights

The second annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights was held in Geneva on 2–4 December.

IHRB's Patron and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, delivered remarks at the closing plenary. Informed by the preceding three days of discussions on trends and challenges in implementation of the UN Guiding Principles, the closing session focused on key issues, opportunities and priorities in the year to come with a view to ensuring wide and effective dissemination and implementation.

At the forum Mrs Robinson spoke about the UN Guiding Principles, which make clear that all businesses have a responsibility to put in place policies and processes to respect human rights.

"We should continue to acknowledge the importance of the Guiding Principles in establishing the foundations needed to ensure that all states carry out their duty to protect, that all businesses implement their independent responsibility to respect all rights, and that those negatively impacted have access to effective remedies."

- Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, founding Chair, and now patron, of the Institute for Human Rights and Business