"Understanding and Implementing Respect for Human Rights in a Business Context: A Conference for Indonesian Business Leaders Event Report", 6 Nov 2014 

Understanding and Implementing Respect for Human Rights in a Business Context: A Conference for Indonesian Business Leaders was held on 6th November 2014 in Jakarta. Practical ways business can manage and address human rights impacts were a central theme of the event, which attracted over 200 representatives from Indonesian private and state-owned enterprises, multinational companies, and civil society. This report outlines the context, key themes, discussions and ways forward from the conference. 

In Indonesia, business and human rights challenges are well-known and high-profile. Labour disputes and strikes, community conflict, land acquisition issues and indigenous peoples feature frequently in the news and in reports from human rights institutions and NGOs. This has led to greater interest from Indonesian companies, stakeholders, and the government, in addressing human rights in a business context...

Themes emerging from the conference included: • Domestic human rights challenges are a key driver for business action; • Business leaders are comfortable using the language of human rights but more understanding of the scope and definition of human rights beyond labour rights and gross human rights violation is required; • Some companies are moving from issue management to human rights due diligence, but more action is needed; • Business can engage a range of experts and organizations in Indonesia for human rights expertise; • Public policy and constructive governmental action is needed to support business; and • A range of actions are needed based on the different stages of companies’ human rights journeys