A seminar - training "Measures to Promote Responsible Business Conduct in Kazakhstan"
08.09.2023
On August 28, 2023, the Secretariat of the National Contact Point of Kazakhstan (hereinafter - NCP, Secretariat) represented by the Economic Research Institute JSC participated in a webinar on "Measures to Promote Responsible Business Conduct in Kazakhstan" with the support of the United Nations Development Program. The seminar was attended by delegates from among the heads of government agencies, and representatives of non-profi.organizations, including the International Bureau of Mediation NGO, the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan, as well as the Civil Alliance of Kazakhstan. Tatyana Zinovich, Director of the Legal Policy Research Center, and Olena Uvarova, Head of the Business and Human Rights International Laboratory, spoke on the following topics: • State obligations to protect human rights under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; • Tools in the hands of the State: National Baseline Assessment and National Action Plan (hereinafter - NAP) on Business and Human Rights (Theory and Practice). Additionally, during the speakers' presentations, it was noted that in 2014 the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights developed a roadmap for the promotion of National Action Plans and a Guide to National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights. It should be emphasized that more than 30 of the world's leading economies have developed and published their plans, including: France, Germany, Japan, Holland, UK, USA, and other countries. Also during the webinar, Olena Uvarova, Head of the Business and Human Rights International Laboratory, presented a number of recommendations of the UN Working Group on the NAP: • To publish a formal commitment by the government to participate in an open NAP process; • To create a format for inter-ministerial interaction and identifying the leading government body (ministry or agency); • To create a format for engaging with non-governmental stakeholders; • To develop and publish a work plan and allocate sufficient resources for both formats of activities. The seminar also covered topical issues such as the corporate responsibility to respect human rights, access to remedy, and an overview of the concept of Business and Human Rights. It should be noted that adherence to international standards of responsible business conduct enhances coordination and coherence within the government on a range of business-related legal and policy structures and programs, and contributes to improving the business and investment climate in the country. During the discussion of pressing issues in the field of business and human rights, Director of Legal Policy Research Center PF Tatyana Zinovich introduced the activities of the Kazakh National Contact Point and noted that the NCP Secretariat also takes an active part in the work to promote the development of NAPs in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In turn, the participants expressed great interest in studying the standards proposed by the OECD and the UN to create conditions for responsible business conduct and thanked for the interesting seminar - training.
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