Fair Labour Alliance (FLA) and FSI Worldwide present at the regional Blended Learning Course 2019 on human rights, gender equality and the environment led by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights & Humanitarian Law (RWI) for Asia and the Pacific
The FLA Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Anisha Rajapakse was one of two instructors on human rights, gender equality and environment in the SDG framework at the workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand from 3-5 December, led by the the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights & Humanitarian Law (RWI).
Anisha and Radu Mares, Associate Professor at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, and the Faculty of Law, Lund University, Sweden, presented the sessions for a second year. This dynamic regional RWI programme on human rights and sustainable development (2017‐2021) seeks to promote mutually reinforcing protections of human rights, gender equality and the environment. The workshop this year was designed for representatives of companies, unions and chambers of commerce from South East Asia and the Pacific. These included IKEA, FGV Holdings (Malaysia), Electrolux and several trade union representatives from Indonesia and Thailand, and Chamber of Commerce, Timor Leste.
Over the three days, Anisha’s particular focus was on targeted interactive training and knowledge sharing on the practical aspects of human rights due diligence and promotion of fair labour practices globally. This included training on how to apply a gender-lens to corporate sustainability efforts, the development of industry-specific due diligence checklists, the importance and relevance of Decent Work and SDG 8. The training had a national and regional context and stressed the business imperative for meaningful partnerships and collaborations when aligning to the UNGPS and the Business and Human Rights agenda.
To enrich the discussions, prominent external guest speakers were invited to provide in-depth understanding and real-time experiences of ground realities. Nick Forster, Senior VP and Co-Founder of FSI Worldwide – an international leader in ethical recruitment and labour solutions, and a member of the FLA delivered an impactful and impassioned presentation. He stressed the importance of ethical recruitment and fair labour practices in global supply chains. He shared the FSI journey, the challenges and the reality of ‘walking the talk’ when it comes to embedding sustainable labour practices into procurement decision-making and company operating procedures.
The participants were inspired by the progressive stance of FSI as a ‘business champion’ or model for other companies looking to implement ethical recruitment policies. They recognized the moral imperative to operate in a manner that is consistent with human rights principles. Other speakers included Sashini Gomez from the IOM, Pran Siamwalla from Krungsri Bank, and Lisa Lahari from EngagePacific.
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