Context

COP26 has provided a focal point to shine a light on how climate change creates conditions for modern slavery to exist. The conversation is beginning to gain ground and support. In an open letter to the Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, President of COP26, and Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 58 actors (including Ardea International) across the human rights, anti-slavery, environmental, academic and business sectors called on all governments to recognise the links between climate induced migration and modern slavery, track climate-induced migration, include climate-induced risks of modern slavery in the tracking of displacement, and provide decent work for all workers in the renewable energy sector through a Just Transition plan.

The clause “provide decent work for all workers in the renewable energy sector through a Just Transition plan” is vital. It’s critical because the shift to clean energy without the attendant requirement for environmental and human rights due diligence (including documented policies, processes, transparency and disclosure) will simply repeat the existing paradigm where power and control resides in a few select boardrooms and respect for human rights and a global levelling up fails to take place. The UN SDGs, namely objective 8 (to) “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all” mandates it, and the Just Transition plan provides a pathway to achieve it. 

This practical webinar will include expert commentary from the eminent speaker panel on the unassailable human rights impacts being wrought by climate change. The session will include an outline to the legal and compliance background, a business and supply chain perspective on how Marshalls is managing its responsibilities and risks in this regard, and an intervention on how UNICEF understands and is meeting the human rights challenges of climate change to support the prevention of child labour in supply chains.

Speakers’ insights 

Colleen Theron, Ardea International, will moderate and provide an introduction to human rights and environmental compliance requirements globally and note the direction of travel for legislation worldwide. 

Chris Harrop OBE, Marshalls Plc, will provide a business and supply chain perspective on how Marshalls is managing its human rights and climate change responsibilities and risks within the context of its October 2021 announcement to reach net zero by 2030.  

Maria Pia Bianchetti, UNICEF, will provide an intervention on how UNICEF understands and is meeting the human rights challenges of climate change, and how its policies are being implemented at regional and local level to support the prevention of child labour in supply chains.

Speakers Biography

Colleen Theron, Ardea International

Colleen is a tri qualified lawyer with over 25 years of legal and commercial experience of working with business, organisations and NGOs across sectors on both a strategic and operational level. She provides advisory services, training and online resources to both directors and employees on human rights, modern slavery and sustainability issues. Colleen has an LLM (with distinction) in Environmental Law from the University of Aberdeen. She sits on the advisory board for LexisPSL Environment and was nominated as one of the Top 100 Corporate Modern Slavery influencers in the UK in 2018.

Chris Harrop OBE, Group Sustainability Director at Marshalls Plc 

Chris is an accomplished marketing and sustainability professional and Fellow of the IOD and IEMA with a proven global track record. He was Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact UK Network for four years from January 2013 and was a Non-Executive Director of the Ethical Trade Initiative for 10 years from January 2011. Chris currently is a Non-Exec Director of the Fairtax Mark, Chair of Made in Britain and a trustee of the Greater Manchester Immigration Advice Unit. He received his OBE in 2019 for services to the Prevention of Modern Slavery and Exploitation. 

Maria Pia Bianchetti, Senior Specialist, Child Rights and Business at the UK Committee for UNICEF

Maria Pia leads the work of UNICEF UK on the impact of the business sector on child rights, advocating for better legislation and business practices that respect children’s rights. Among the areas of focus there are mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence and climate justice and business.

The webinar will last 60 minutes and includes a question and answer session. At the point of registration you will have the opportunity to submit questions you would like to our speakers to respond to on the live webinar.

Unable to join us on the day? The recorded webinar is below. 

Partner:

This webinar is paired with Ardea International’s Business and Human Rights- Online Training and Support Programme Register your interest by email.

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