UNGC Business and Human Rights Accelerator Program 2025 for Businesses

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About UNGC Business and Human Rights Accelerator Program

The Business and Human Rights Accelerator is a six-month program that activates companies participating in the UNGC across industries and regions. This hands-on Program will help businesses move from commitment to action on human rights. Also, they can take action on labor rights by establishing an ongoing human rights due diligence process.

By participating in this Program, companies will learn how to identify their responsibilities in respecting human rights and labor rights, which are explained in the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the UDHR (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

They will also learn how to establish ongoing human rights due to industry processes according to international standards and how to report and communicate on human rights. Additionally, they will learn how to document and speak about their human rights due diligence journey, including the Communication on Progress, the annual public disclosure requirement for all UN Global Compact participants.

The idea of human rights is simple but powerful; it means that all people have a right to dignity. On the other hand, businesses most often impact the human rights of their employees, workers in supply chains, contract workers, the communities, and even the end users of products or services. As a result, the companies have a responsibility and an opportunity to develop and advance human rights across their activities, supply chains, and beyond.

Participating Countries Locations

These Local Networks provide the in-country track of the Business & Human Rights Accelerator:

• Argentina
• Austria
• Bangladesh
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Canada
• Central America and
• Dominican Republic
• Colombia
• Denmark
• Ecuador
• Finland
• France
• Georgia
• Germany
• Indonesia
• Italy
• Japan
• Kenya
• Korea
• Malaysia & Brunei
• Morocco
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Peru
• Portugal
• Serbia
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Liechtenstein
• Tanzania
• Türkiye
• United Kingdom
• Ukraine
• Uruguay
• United States of America
• Uzbekistan

Program Tracks

The Accelerator Program tracks are as follows:

In-Country Track:
This track, delivered in local languages and time zones, offers live and on-demand sessions, hands-on support, workshops, and peer networking opportunities.

Regional Tracks:
In addition to in-country options, several regional tracks are available:

• Africa Track: Connects companies across the continent, offering the same curriculum focusing on regional best practices and case studies.
• Asia Track: This event brings together companies across Asia. It features the same curriculum with an emphasis on regional insights and examples.
• Latin America Track: Companies from the region can access the curriculum alongside regional best practices and case studies.

Global Track:
This English-language track offers the same curriculum for companies without a local Country Network through live and on-demand sessions. Space is limited, so apply early.

If your company is based in one of the listed countries, you can join the in-country track through the Global Compact Country Network. Others can apply to the global track.

Program Stages

The Program has six stages, as follows:

Stage 1: Human rights mean that everyone deserves dignity.

Stage 2: Participants assess the company’s value chain to find potential impacts.

Stage 3: They prioritize key human rights impacts and understand their role.

Stage 4: Participants begin creating actions and metrics.

Stage 5: They learn to engage stakeholders and communicate impacts effectively.

Stage 6: Participants gain insight into remedy and grievance mechanisms.

• Sponsor Organisation: United Nations Global Compact

Benefits of UNGC Business and Human Rights Accelerator Program

The participant companies in the Business and Human Rights Accelerator will:

• Understand where they are on their human rights journey;
• Advance in human rights due efforts;
• Can involve directly affected stakeholders in business human rights impacts;
• Will develop an action plan to lessen their noticeable human rights impacts;
• Understand remedy and grievance mechanisms;
• Be able to report and communicate their human rights due efforts. 
• Get a completion certificate for the Program. 

UNGC Business and Human Rights Accelerator Program Requirements

The requirements of the UNGC Business and Human Rights Accelerator Program 2025 are as follows: Your company should be:

• Members of the UN Global Compact or willing to join to participate in the Business & Human Rights Accelerator.
• Currently engaged with a Global Compact Local Network in your region or willing to join
• Willing to identify its human rights impacts and scope a core area of its value chain for further focus
• Able to appoint two representatives to participate in Accelerator activities and peer-learning sessions
• Able to nominate an executive-level representative to follow Accelerator developments, provide support, and participate in high-level events
• Be able to nominate an executive-level representative to nominate
• Companies that are not in the countries mentioned above can still apply for this opportunity

Application Date and Process

Applicant companies should apply via the online application platform by filling out the application form. Click on the link to the application website to access this form. Applicants should provide information on their company and its two nominated representatives for the Program. Please enter the link below to start your application.

Application Deadline

20 December, 2024

Scholarship Application Portal

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