AICHR Philippines Discusses Business and Human Rights at Fostering CSR in the Philippines Conference

AICHR Philippines Representative Leo M. Herrera-Lim presents AICHR activities highlighting the importance of business and human rights at the Fostering CSR in the Philippines conference held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on 17 January 2018.

23 January 2018 MANILA — The Office of the Philippine Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was invited to present at a conference on responsible business entitled Fostering CSR in the Philippines, which was held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on 17 January 2018.

The first session of the Conference covered keynote speeches from H.E. Leo M. Herrera-Lim, Philippine Representative to AICHR, National Economic Development Authority Assistant Secretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, and Swedish CSR Ambassador Diana Madunic.

Ambassador Herrera-Lim spoke on the role of AICHR in promoting business and human rights in the region. He emphasized that the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration complements the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and that businesses should find ways to incorporate SDGs and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. He gave an example of businesses needing to compensate coffee farmers in the Philippines fairly, and for businesses to perform due diligence to ensure that supply chains are compliant with human rights standards.

Assistant Secretary Abad Santos elaborated on the need to align sustainable businesses with the aspirations of Filipinos to achieve a comfortable standard of living as outlined in the Philippine Government’s Ambisyon 2040 development plan. For his part, Mr. Zobel de Ayala highlighted Ayala Corporation’s pioneering efforts in introducing sustainable business practices into their company’s core businesses. He underlined that human rights are about values that should be respected regardless of company size, and that for a business to last and grow, it must be nurtured by a sustainable business model. Ambassador Madunic mentioned that Sweden is among the most advanced countries in terms of CSR advocacy and forwarding the concept of sustainable businesses.

The Conference also conducted sessions on why businesses should adopt responsible business practices, inclusive labor relations, inclusive supply chains, and inclusive community development.

The Conference was organized by the Embassy of Sweden in Manila, ASEAN CSR Network, and the League of Corporate Foundations. END

AICHR Philippines Representative Leo M Herrera-Lim (second from left) elaborates a point during the panel discussion with (from left to right) moderator Ron Cruz, National Economic Development Authority Assistant Secretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Harald Fries, and Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala at the Fostering CSR in the Philippines conference held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on 17 January 2018.