Menu

Event Conference

14th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights

24 Nov 2025 – 26 Nov 2025

Venue: Palais des Nations

Organization: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Human Rights and Environment

SDG3 | SDG17 | SDG8 | SDG9

The 14th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, taking place from 24 to 26 November 2025 at Palais des Nations, brings together thousands of participants from government, business, community groups and civil society, law firms, investor organisations, UN bodies, national human rights institutions, trade unions, academia and the media, for the world's largest annual gathering on business and human rights.

About the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights

Since its first session in 2012, the annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights has brought together thousands of participants from governments, international organizations, business, civil society, trade unions, communities, lawyers, and academia from around the world. The 13th edition, in 2024, had over 4,000 participants. Centred on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) – the authoritative global framework for States and businesses in relation to preventing and addressing adverse impacts on human rights arising from business activities – the Forum provides a unique multi-stakeholder platform for discussing key trends and challenges in implementing and advancing the UNGPs.

Established by the UN Human Rights Council, the Forum is guided, chaired and organized by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, which sits within Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, and supported by a Secretariat based at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

14th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights

The world is experiencing interlocking crises that are posing significant challenges to sustaining and accelerating commitments to protect and respect human rights in the context of business activities, and to provide effective remedy when harm occurs. Geopolitical tensions, conflicts, widening inequalities, rapid changes in technology, climate change, environmental degradation, and the increasing complexity of global value chains all contribute to an unpredictable and rapidly shifting global landscape. In view of these transformations, ensuring that States and businesses uphold their respective obligations and responsibility to protect and respect human rights requires resilience, adaptability, political will, and heightened commitment and actions. Existing positive business and human rights mechanisms should be leveraged and new innovative initiatives must be developed to address these growing risks and drive meaningful change for rights-holders. Against this backdrop, the 2025 Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights will explore how different stakeholders can accelerate and scale up the implementation of the UNGPs amidst these challenges, creating innovations and opportunities for positive transformation.

The Forum, held under the theme, “Accelerating action on business and human rights amidst crises and transformations“, will provide a multi-stakeholder platform to assess the effectiveness of existing frameworks and explore strategies to enhance business and human rights commitments and actions in response to evolving global dynamics. Participants will critically reflect on progress, identify gaps, and discuss innovative solutions that can drive transformative change. The discussions will particularly focus on the role of States, businesses, civil society, international organizations and others in ensuring that actions consistent with business and human rights imperatives are a vital priority despite the current global polycrisis. The goal is for participants to leave the Forum with new perspectives on how to navigate these difficult times, creating hope for the future of business and human rights and renewed commitments for action.

The 2025 Forum will explore the application of the UNGPs, in particular the “smart mix” of voluntary and mandatory measures at the national and international levels, to accelerate business and human rights action among States and businesses and be innovative in a rapidly changing world. Specific sessions will examine these varied challenges and opportunities in several key issues-areas including:

  • State action in a changing world;
  • Access to justice and to remedy in complex environments;
  • Human rights due diligence (HRDD), especially in crisis and conflict situations;
  • Technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and human rights;
  • Labour migration and human rights, especially in cross-border contexts;
  • Climate change, environmental justice, and corporate responsibility;
  • Just energy transition;
  • Indigenous Peoples’ rights;
  • Stakeholder engagement;
  • Business commitments to gender equality, diversity and inclusion;
  • Role of youth in translating business and human rights commitments to action.
More on the 14th UN Forum on BHR
Sched of 14th UN Forum on BHR
Register on Indico

Environment @ 2025 UN BHR Forum

The Forum will also provide an opportunity to address various issues in focus. These may include “standing items” for the Forum agenda, such as human rights defenders, civic freedoms and the role of business; gender, business and human rights; Indigenous Peoples rights and impacts of business activities; and more.

Environment-related events at the Forum and external events are listed below. A live-updated programme of work is available on Sched. These events will also be livestreamed, which are available on the 2025 UN BHR Forum page. Several stakeholders are also organizing external events on business and human rights in the margins of the Annual Forum.

Monday, 24 November

Tuesday, 25 November

Wednesday, 26 November

Business, Human Rights, the Environment, and the Role of Geneva

Human rights and the environment are intrinsically intertwined. If we are to tackle environmental challenges without leaving anyone behind, the private sector must respect both the environment and environmental rights, and ensure they are not violated in their conduct of business operations and beyond. Consult this update that provides a brief overview on the connections among business, human rights, the environment, and the role International Geneva plays in strengthening such links.

Business and Human Rights, Environment, and the Role of Geneva

Links