Time: Thursday 12 Dec, 12.15 – 13.30
Place: DCA’s office at Meldahlsgade 3, 1613 København (incl. opportunity to follow discussion from online)
Registration: Sign up in an email to miboh@dca.dk
Meaningful stakeholder engagement is a key element of risk based due diligence, and though soft law had emphasised this for many years, it soon be required for corporations to proactively consult and engage with communities, workers, and consumers under the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
DanChurchAid are inviting private sector and civil society actors to an informal conversation on meaningful stakeholder engagement as part of human rights due diligence. During this session, we are pleased to be welcoming Karin Buhmann, professor at Copenhagen Business School, and our partners, Joyce Atuhaire, the country director of African Women in Agribusiness Network Uganda, and Théophane Ngbaba, who leads the Young African Leaders Initiative in Central African Republic.
Karin Buhmann is the lead editor of the recently published Routledge Handbook on Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement (available below), from which she will kick off and frame the discussion. Joyce Atuhaire and Théophane Ngbaba will be sharing experiences and recommendations from their work with inclusion of women into agribusiness value chains and ensuring participation of young people into promoting democracy, entrepreneurship and civic engagement. These conceptual and contextual perspectives will thus inform an open dialogue on how civil society and companies can meaningfully engage rights-holders directly and indirectly affected by their operations and activities, including in conflict-affected settings which requires heightened due diligence.
Karin Buhmann is professor at Copenhagen Business School, specializing in business and human rights, stakeholder engagement, sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, just and fair energy transitions, and responsible business conduct (RBC), with a particular focus on social issues and climate change mitigation. She serves as a public organization representative on the Board of Ethical Trade Denmark and is a board member of the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Additionally, she is an expert member of the Danish National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct.
Joyce Atuhaire is a social entrepreneur and advocate of gender equality and inclusion. Joyce is Country Director in African Women in Agribusiness Network (AWAN). She has been instrumental in promoting gender inclusivity within agricultural value chains and ensuring equitable representation for women in the sector. AWAN is a regional business support organization promoting women in agricultural value chains within small and medium enterprises. AWAN unites 250 women entrepreneurs operating at various levels of agri-food value chains. AWAN primarily focuses on food systems transformation and empowering female entrepreneurs to participate in agri-food value chains.
Théophane Ngbaba is a youth leader and peacebuilding project manager in Central African Republic. Théophane leads YALI Centralafrique who works to promote democratic values, entrepreneurship and civic engagement. Théophane is active in both national and international networks. YALI (Young African Leaders Initiative) focus on empowering young leaders across Africa by providing leadership training, supporting civic engagement, and fostering entrepreneurship and good governance.
DanChurchAid (DCA) is a humanitarian and development organisation whose mandate covers support to responsible and sustainable value chain development that prioritises employment opportunities for vulnerable communities. It is a strategic focus for DCA to promote responsible business conduct (RBC) through human rights and environmental due diligence in market system and value chain projects and partnerships as well as through local and global advocacy efforts.