The Responsible Business Conduct Capacity-Building Workshop, jointly hosted by the International Labour Organization and the UN Global Compact Network India, was held in Noida on 24 November 2025. The event brought together industry leaders, sustainability experts, and practitioners to strengthen responsible business practices across India’s manufacturing and supply chain sectors and encourage companies to adopt more sustainable and ethical operations.
During the opening session, the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network India emphasized the growing need for Indian companies to move beyond reactive compliance and adopt proactive, system-driven approaches to responsible business conduct. With increasing expectations from regulators, investors, and international buyers, businesses are being encouraged to integrate responsible practices into their long-term strategies. He also highlighted that India’s vast network of around 65 million micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly those located in Tier 2 and Tier 3 clusters, face the greatest challenges in adopting such practices. Simplified tools, targeted support, and continuous capacity-building were identified as essential to help these enterprises understand and implement emerging national and global standards.
The keynote address highlighted the evolving regulatory landscape in India, noting that recent labour-related developments signal a significant shift in expectations for businesses. Responsible business conduct was described as being built on four key pillars: human rights, labour rights, environmental responsibility, and anti-corruption. These principles are increasingly guiding companies as they adapt to new regulatory frameworks and stakeholder expectations.
A key focus of the workshop was a panel discussion that explored practical approaches to implementing human rights due diligence within complex supply chains. Experts noted that while global buyers and clients are demanding greater transparency and accountability, many suppliers remain uncertain about how to begin the process. Participants shared experiences showing that once suppliers understand the purpose of responsible business practices, they often recognize the benefits in terms of stronger resilience, trust, and long-term sustainability across the value chain.
Discussions also highlighted the challenges companies face when translating policy commitments into everyday operations, especially when supply chains span multiple regions, involve subcontracting, or rely on informal labour. Practical steps such as integrating human rights clauses into procurement processes, training procurement teams to identify risk indicators, conducting worker interviews, and establishing grievance mechanisms were identified as important measures to address these challenges. The workshop concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to strengthening responsible business conduct and human rights due diligence as essential components of building resilient, inclusive, and future-ready enterprises in India.
The workshop formed part of the International Labour Organization’s initiative aimed at building responsible value chains in Asia through the promotion of decent work in business operations. Supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the project seeks to promote inclusive and sustainable enterprises while improving working conditions across supply chains in several Asian countries, including India.
