UN Global Compact’s Young SDG Innovators Programme: Advancing Human Rights and Labour Rights in Business

At its core, SDG Innovators Programme the concept of human rights is both powerful and straightforward: every individual deserves to be treated with dignity. In today’s globalized economy, businesses—regardless of size or sector—have a direct and indirect impact on the human rights of people across their value chains.

These include employees, contract workers, suppliers, communities surrounding their operations, and even end-users of their products and services.

Companies influence nearly the entire spectrum of internationally recognized human rights. With this influence comes both responsibility and opportunity: the responsibility to prevent harm and the opportunity to create positive change.

To meet rising expectations from stakeholders and comply with evolving regulations, businesses must demonstrate that they respect and uphold human rights—and that they are not complicit in abuses.

To support this journey, the Business & Human Rights Accelerator is a six-month capacity-building programme for companies participating in the UN Global Compact. Designed for cross-industry and cross-regional application, the Accelerator enables businesses to move from commitment to tangible action by establishing and integrating a human rights due diligence (HRDD) process aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).

What Participants Will Learn

Through a combination of expert-led sessions, peer learning, and practical tools, participants will gain:

• A clear understanding of how business activities can impact human and labour rights, drawing from key frameworks such as the International Bill of Human Rights and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
• Knowledge of how to build and operationalize an ongoing HRDD process, consistent with the UNGPs.

• Tools for effectively communicating progress, including through the UN Global Compact Communication on Progress—an annual public disclosure requirement.
• Insights into how human rights due diligence contributes to broader social sustainability strategies.

What Participants Will Gain

By the end of the programme, participating companies will:

• Understand their current position in their human rights journey.
• Be able to assess actual and potential adverse human rights impacts across their operations and supply chains—and prioritize where to act.
• Gain practical knowledge on impact mitigation, including setting up grievance mechanisms and offering remedy where necessary.
• Learn how to engage effectively with stakeholders, including affected communities and workers.
• Develop a tailored Action Plan to address human rights risks and integrate due diligence into business strategy.
• Join a community of peers, UN experts, and stakeholders working collectively to overcome persistent challenges in the business and human rights landscape.
• Receive a certificate of completion acknowledging their progress and commitment.

Who Can Participate

Participation is open to all companies that are either current participants of the UN Global Compact or willing to join. In addition, companies must:

• • Be engaged with, or ready to join, a Global Compact Local Network in their region.
  • Be prepared to assess their human rights risks and impacts and select a core area of their value chain for focused analysis.

• • Commit to developing a Human Rights Action Plan based on identified and prioritized risks.

• Designate two working-level representatives to actively participate in sessions and assignments, as well as an executive sponsor to support implementation and attend high-level events.
• Commit to completing the programme and embedding its outcomes into business operations and strategy.

The Learning Journey: Six Stages to Action

The Business & Human Rights Accelerator guides companies through a structured six-stage journey:

Stage 1 – Understand the UN Global Compact’s Human Rights and Labour Principles, the UN Guiding Principles, and the foundations of human rights due diligence. Companies identify where they currently stand.

Stage 2 – Scope the company’s value chain to identify areas with potential human rights risks and impacts.

Stage 3 – Prioritize the most salient human rights issues and understand the company’s level of involvement or contribution to them.

Stage 4 – Begin developing specific actions, metrics, and internal processes to address priority issues.

Stage 5 – Learn to effectively engage affected stakeholders and communicate transparently about impacts and progress.

Stage 6 – Deepen understanding of grievance mechanisms and remediation practices, ensuring affected individuals have access to remedy.