Innovating Pathways (Assembly Hall) Forum on Business…

As the world grapples with overlapping crises—from armed conflict and climate instability to the scramble for transition minerals—there is an urgent need to ensure that remedy and grievance mechanisms are rights-compliant, accessible, transparent, and responsive to the needs of victims.

In this context, certification, verification and auditing bodies play a pivotal role in upholding the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), particularly the pillars of corporate responsibility and access to remedy. Often regarded as 'gatekeepers' for assurance and accountability, these mechanisms must go beyond compliance checklists to actively identify, prevent and address adverse human rights impacts, embedding transparency, inclusivity, and access to effective remedies within their policies and operations.

Through practical examples, the session considers how States, businesses, certification schemes, and verification and auditing bodies can contribute to reshaping the remedy ecosystem in line with the UNGPs. Speakers will explore diverse approaches ranging from judicial processes and operational-level grievance mechanisms to Indigenous justice systems, for their potential to enhance access to remedies alongside measures to prevent business-related human rights harms, such as integrating human rights due diligence and engaging meaningfully with affected rights-holders.
Further to this, speakers on this session will share broader reflections on innovative pathways—whether procedural, community-driven or technological—that can be taken to advance access to justice and deliver transformative remedies in these times of crisis and uncertainty.

Moderators: Pichamon Yeophantong
Speakers: Pierre Petit-De Pasquale, Salem Jones, Nicholas Peters, Paula Lancheros Sánchez