On June 17, a roundtable discussion entitled “Promoting Sustainable Development through Responsible Business Conduct and Respect for Human Rights in the Corporate Environment” was held in Astana. The event was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan with the support of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The roundtable brought together representatives of government agencies, international organizations, the business community, and civil society institutions.
The Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FTURK) was represented by Timur Nugmanov, Director of the Legal Support Department, and Aizhan Ibraeva, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Socio-Economic Relations and Social Partnership.
Opening the meeting, Vice Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Erlan Sagnaev emphasized that responsible business conduct is directly linked to the competitiveness of the national economy.
In turn, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Katarzyna Wawiernia highlighted the need to unite the efforts of government, business, and civil society institutions in achieving long-term sustainable development goals.
Dinara Tazhenova, Head of the National Human Rights Centre, continued the discussion by stressing the importance of establishing effective mechanisms to prevent human rights violations in business activities and strengthening the accountability of all economic actors.
International experience was presented by Olena Uvarova, UNDP Programme Specialist on Business and Human Rights. According to her, recent global trends demonstrate a shift from voluntary corporate initiatives to mandatory requirements concerning respect for human rights and the implementation of human rights due diligence procedures.
The practical implementation of these principles became the focus of the first panel discussion. Participants examined the experience of various countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights.
The experience of Mongolia was presented by Chimguundari Navaan-Yunden, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Mongolia, who outlined the country's journey from conceptual development to the practical implementation of its National Action Plan.
The discussion also addressed environmental responsibility in business. Daulet Yesmagambetov, Director of the Department of Environmental Culture and Environmental Policy at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, noted that the protection of citizens’ environmental rights is becoming an essential component of modern corporate policy and sustainable development.
Particular attention was paid to the readiness of Kazakhstani companies to meet emerging international requirements. According to Ilyas Dussenov, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of JSC Samruk-Kazyna, domestic businesses are already facing the need to adapt to global standards of responsible business conduct.
Representatives of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken,” the OECD National Contact Point, and the Business Ombudsman Institution also discussed issues related to corporate governance, public monitoring, and mechanisms for implementing international standards of responsible business conduct in Kazakhstan.
Representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan emphasized that respect for labour rights, the promotion of decent employment, and the development of social dialogue remain fundamental prerequisites for sustainable development and social stability.
The experts highlighted the importance of building effective cooperation among government authorities, employers, and workers’ representatives. Participants agreed that sustainable development is impossible without respect for fundamental labour rights, the provision of safe working conditions, and the strengthening of a culture of social partnership.
Following the roundtable, participants developed a number of recommendations that will be taken into account in the further development of national approaches and an action plan for promoting responsible business conduct and respect for human rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
FTURK Trade Union Communications Center