This invite-only evening reception for Japanese stakeholders including businesses, NGOs, lawyers, consulting companies, academia and others is intended as a private space to connect ahead of the start of the official UN Business and Human Rights Forum.

This event will be held in Japanese.

Location: Hôtel Royal Manotel

As human rights due diligence laws expand across regions, companies are exploring how to respond in meaningful and practical ways that support both people and their business. This interactive workshop brings together corporate participants and other stakeholders to share experiences and identify practical, effective strategies for implementing evolving mandatory due diligence rules. Focusing on regulatory developments in different parts of the world, the session will discuss how effective responses can deliver positive human rights outcomes, build trust and ultimately strengthen business long-term performance.

Venue: Palais des Nations 
Format: Roundtable Dialogue (by invitation) 
Hosted by: UN Global Compact, Shift and UNDP

For further information, please email: humanrights@unglobalcompact.org.
 

This session will be dedicated to mental health as an essential dimension of corporate sustainability and human rights. The panel will highlight the impact of global crises on the well-being of workers and communities, highlighting how companies can implement care policies and strengthen organizational resilience. The discussion will also bring an inclusive perspective, showing how gender, race, and youth structure specific vulnerabilities. Youth employability, in particular, will be addressed as a critical topic, considering that young people at the beginning of their careers face greater risks of precariousness and additional pressures that directly impact their mental health.

For further information, please email gabriela.almeida@pactoglobal.org.br and see the link here.

Location: The Palais, Geneva.
 

Join us for the premier business-only event held in conjunction with the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights 2025 in Geneva, co-hosted by the UN Global Compact, IOE, Amfori, APSCA, The B Team, BDA, BSR, IPIECA, ICMM, USCIB and WBCSD. This special evening offers a unique opportunity to:

• Connect and network informally with peers from the global business community and members of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.
• Exchange insights on key themes from the 2025 Forum and explore the latest practical, legal and policy developments shaping the business and human rights agenda.

Please note: Attendance is by invitation and limited. To express your interest, kindly email humanrights@unglobalcompact.org as soon as possible, as spaces fill up quickly.

Location: Restaurant Vieux Bois

This invite-only welcome dinner, hosted by the Global Compact Network USA, will bring together U.S. companies, UN partners and international organizations in a dynamic, multi-sector setting. The evening will offer a unique opportunity to connect with peers, exchange insights and strengthen partnerships ahead of the Forum. By convening diverse stakeholders, the dinner aims to foster meaningful dialogue, inspire collaboration and build momentum for collective action toward shared sustainability goals. For further information, please email: noah@globalcompactusa.org. 

Location: Hotel d’Angleterre

This invite-only lunch, hosted by the UN Global Compact, will convene participants of the Think Lab on Human Rights in Supply Chains. The event will launch the initial outputs after 12 months of workshops and focused discussions. By bringing together companies from across the globe that are prioritizing human rights due diligence, the lunch aims to foster dialogue and build momentum for further collective action.

For further information, please email humanrights@unglobalcompact.org.

This evening reception will be an exclusive networking opportunity for UN Global Compact participants and partners to connect informally and come together to share experiences. This will be an informal networking space and multi-stakeholder dialogue by bringing together representatives from the private sector, Government and civil society. 

The theme of this year’s evening reception will be on the role that businesses can play in engaging communities effectively and meaningfully through responsible business conduct. 

In an era of intersecting crises - conflict, climate change, inequality, and weakening trust - meaningful stakeholder engagement with communities affected by business operations is more critical than ever. 

The reception will feature the Practical Guide on Businesses and Affected Communities, developed by the UN Global Compact France network. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with experts, foster collaborations and come together around the principle of centering rightsholders in core business decisions.

Location: Geneva.

For further information, please email: humanrights@unglobalcompact.org
 

This event will focus on reflecting on the contemporary challenges facing multilateralism and the strategic role of the human rights agenda in building collective and sustainable responses. In a context of rapid economic, social, and environmental transformations, multilateralism is called upon to renew itself to respond inclusively and effectively to global needs. Companies play a crucial role: as transnational actors, they influence value chains, public policies, and consumption patterns, potentially generating significant impacts on local communities, workers, and vulnerable groups.

The way the private sector engages in multilateral bodies and integrates human rights into its strategies can contribute to reducing inequalities and expanding opportunities in different regions of the world. The session will analyze how business engagement can support the development of joint solutions for a fairer globalization, ensuring that the human rights agenda is a central part of this cooperation.

The debate will bring together leaders from the private sector, academic experts, the UN System, and civil society representatives, sharing practical experiences and reflections on ways to align business strategies with global priorities and their local impacts.

For further information, please email gabriela.almeida@pactoglobal.org.br and see the link here.

Location: The Palais, Geneva

This is an by invitation only lunch gathering for companies and expert organizations participating in the Living Wage Target Two Programme, taking place on the sidelines of the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights.

This gathering will be an opportunity to:

• Discuss how to leverage the new living wage in supply chains guidance jointly
• Share insights and feedback on this year’s programme as well as our initial thinking for next year’s iteration of the programme
• Continue building collective action on living wages

For further information, please email socialsustainability@unglobalcompact.org.

Location: Palais des Nations.

From Risk to Resilience: Responsible Business in Conflict

Businesses and investors play a pivotal role in shaping responsible conduct in contexts affected by conflict and fragility. This workshop brings companies and investors into conversation with experts and practitioners, providing a vital opportunity to exchange on shared challenges, identify practical entry points, and explore collaborative solutions. This dialogue seeks to bridge business and operational realities with normative expectations, moving from frameworks and guidance to practical implementation on the ground. By fostering mutual understanding and context-aware approaches to responsible  business in complex environments, the workshop aims to create space for connection and exchange, build relationships, support learning, and advance collective action among actors operating at the intersection of business and conflict.

An interactive morning session, co-hosted by PRI and the UN Global Compact, will bring together investors, companies, and civil society to explore how investment and corporate strategy can align to advance human rights and responsible business conduct in conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRA). Through candid dialogue, participants will examine the materiality of human rights risks, the investment case for action, and good practice in human rights due diligence (HRDD) to strengthen governance, resilience, and long-term value. The morning sessions are part of a whole-day workshop, held in person on 27 November from 9.00-17.00h CET in Geneva, Switzerland by the Business and Conflict Community of Practice. 

Workshop registration: Businesses, investors, and community members can express interest in attending the workshop at this link: https://forms.gle/tGnCEmihLUNaDzp48.  The deadline for expressions of interest is Friday 14 November.
 

This will be an opportunity for the UN Global Compact Network Japan delegation and interested parties to debrief after the UN Forum for Business and Human Rights. The event will be in Japanese language only.

9.30 - 10.00: Welcome coffee.

10:00 a.m.- noon: Wrap-up meeting with Japanese stakeholders.

For further information, please email n.ohkubo@ungcjn.org.

Location: Hôtel Royal Manotel