Respect for human rights is rapidly evolving from a corporate social responsibility issue into a strategic business imperative that shapes investor confidence, market access and long-term competitiveness, business leaders and policymakers said at a high-level dialogue convened by the UN Global Compact Network Nigeria (UNGCNN).
The private-sector dialogue brought together more than 60 senior executives, regulators, policymakers, sustainability professionals and development partners to examine how Nigerian businesses can strengthen accountability, deepen stakeholder trust and create long-term value by embedding human rights into corporate governance and operational decision-making.
Opening the event, Naomi Nwokolo, chief executive officer and executive director of UNGCNN, said global expectations of business have fundamentally shifted, with investors, regulators, customers and supply-chain partners increasingly demanding demonstrable evidence of responsible business conduct rather than public commitments.
“Business and human rights can no longer be treated as a side conversation,” Nwokolo said.
“Accountability is built when commitments are translated into clear processes, responsible decisions and visible action. The real value of this programme will be measured by what happens after today – the policies strengthened, the risks identified, the conversations initiated internally and the decisions organisations begin to make differently.”
