2023 Annual HRDD Forum Conference: The implications of mHREDD laws for the financial and legal sectors (Hybrid)

Event Details

Legislative developments around mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (mHREDD) laws are accumulating. The French Duty of Vigilance Law, the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Law, and the Norwegian Transparency Act are already in force, with the text of the EU Draft Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDDD) currently under discussion. The Dutch Bill on Responsible and Sustainable International Business Conduct and the UK campaign for a UK Business, Human Rights and Environment Bill are also drawing attention.

Related legislation contribute further complexities to the landscape, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Swiss Conflict Minerals and Child Labour Due Diligence law, and the EU Taxonomy, as well as various examples of modern slavery reporting regulations and forced labour import bans.

At the 2023 annual conference of the BIICL Human Rights Due Diligence Forum, expert speakers will consider the implications of these new mHREDD laws for the financial and legal sectors. Insofar as these new laws are based on the concepts of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the discussion will also draw from expertise gained from the application of the UNGPs and related international documents to the financial and legal sectors over the past decade.

Join in the conversation @BIICL #2023HRDDForumConference
  

Provisional Programme 

10:00 - 10:30
Registration with coffee & tea

10:30 - 10:45
Welcome and Introduction

10:45 - 11:15
Keynote Address
Prof Robert McCorquodale, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights

11:15 - 13:00
Panel 1: The implications of mHREDD laws for the financial sector

• Suzanne Spears, Paxus LLP (chair)
• Ryan Brightwell, Banktrack
• Rebecca DeWinter-Schmitt, Investor Alliance for Human Rights
• Musonda Kapotwe, Mayer Brown
• Dr Alessandra Lehmen, Brazilian Bar
• Vaidehee Sachdev, Aviva Investors
  

 
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch (provided for all participants)

14:00 - 15:45
Panel 2: The implications of mHREDD laws for the legal sector

• Dr Irene Pietropaoli, British Institute of International and Comparative Law (chair)
• Stéphane Brabant, Trinity International
• Clare Connellan, White & Case
• Lara Douvartzidis, Legal Policy and Research Unit, International Bar Association
• Paula-Ann Novotny, Webber Wentzel
  
• Letícia Perrone Campos Mello, Secretary-General of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Brazilian National Bar Association
  
• Junko Watanabe, Nishimura & Asahi
    

15:45 - 16:15
Closing Remarks
Gabrielle Holly, Danish Institute of Human Rights

16:15 - 16:30
Thanks and Close
Lise Smit, Human Rights Due Diligence Forum, British Institute of International and Comparative Law

16:30 - 18:00
Drinks Reception

Download speaker biographies 

Pricing and Registration

This is a hybrid event, being held in person at the BIICL office in Russell Square, London and online.

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