Irene Khan at Corporate Social Responsibility meeting at the World Social Forum, Mumbai, India

As our economies become more globalised, questions need to be asked about where responsibility lies to ensure basic standards of human dignity are met. This requires an understanding of how human rights intersect with the three main components of the global economy – trade, aid and commerce.

• Are corporations responsible for "doing no harm" or should they be accountable for taking positive steps towards Economic, Social & Cultural Rights as for example fair working conditions, health and housing?

• Should companies merely meet minimum legal standards, or go beyond to be at best practice? What human rights frameworks can provide companies with practical guidance, and what happens when they don't measure up?

• Globalisation can improve human rights in a tangible way. How can these benefits be secured while taming the excesses of globalisation and market failure?

This seminar will allow extensive interaction with the speakers and promises to provide a unique perspective on this critical area of human rights!

Guest Speakers

• Sarah Marland: Amnesty International Australia Campaigner Coordinator for Human Rights and Poverty; formerly Make Poverty History Campaigner with World Vision and co-author of ‘World Poverty for Dummies’.
• Professor David Kinley holds the inaugural Chair in Human Rights Law at University of Sydney. Before that he was the founding Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University. He also has held positions at a number of universities, including Cambridge University, The Australian National University and Washington College of Law. Professor Kinley has also worked for 15 years as a consultant and adviser on international and domestic human rights law in a number of countries in Southeast Asia and beyond and for a number of organisations including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, AusAID, and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions.

Please RSVP to Rohan or Fiona. Suggested donation: $10. Refreshments provided.

The NSW Business Network is part of the NSW branch of Amnesty International Australia. We are a group of activists who are also members of the business community. We campaign on Amnesty International Australia’s main campaigns and are always looking for new members. The Business Network meets on the third Thursday of every month from 6.30pm at the Georges Café Piccadilly, 210 Pitt Street, Sydney.

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