International Corporate Accountability Roundtable

ICAR ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA

Annual meeting summary report

Day I: Wednesday, April 24, 2019

American University, Washington College of Law, Warren Building - Ceremonial Classroom


8:30      Registration

9:15        Welcome

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Arvind Ganesan, Human Rights Watch and Katie Redford, EarthRights International

  • Meg Roggensack, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR) 

9:45    Plenary Session: What Does Effective Due Diligence Look Like?

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Moderator: Meg Roggensack, ICAR

Comparing and Contrasting Approaches: from Modern Slavery Act to Mandatory Due Diligence

  • Abby Henderson, ICAR

  • Marilyn Croser, Corporate Responsibility Coalition (CORE)

  • Claudia Saller, European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ)

  • Filip Gregor, Alliance for Corporate Transparency                     

Guidelines, Tools, and Benchmarks: How Far Have We Come and How Far Do We Have to Go?

12:00    Lunch

The afternoon interactive workshops are a platform for ICAR partners to collaborate on a number of cutting edge topics. These workshops will occur in two parts, with two sessions happening simultaneously during each part.

1:00        Interactive Workshops

Using Transparency to Enhance Accountability: Transparency Pledge, Behind the Brands, and Seafood from Slaves

Room: NT07

  • Facilitator: Nicole Vander Meulen, ICAR

  • Martha Mendoza, Associated Press

  • Sarah Zoen, Oxfam

  • Elena Arengo, International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF)

Environmental, Social, Governance Reporting: US Advocacy Opportunities and Lessons Learned From The EU

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

2:30        Interactive Workshops

Holding Amazon Accountable: Sharing Stories and Strategies

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Facilitator: Greg Regaignon, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

  • Josh Kellermann, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)

  • Sarah Zoen, Oxfam

  • Paloma Muñoz Quick, Investor Alliance for Human Rights

Evidence Gathering and Witness Protection: Best Practices to Support Enforcement and Policy Change

Room: NT07

4:00        Small Group Updates

Strategic Litigation: Fresh Approaches to Corporate Accountability and Human Rights Abuse

Room: NT07

  • Facilitator: Seema Joshi, Amnesty International

  • Marco Simons, EarthRights International (ERI)

  • Charity Ryerson, Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL)

  • Charlie Holt, Greenpeace International

The Zero Draft: Key Issues and Opportunities for Engagement on the Business and Human Rights Treaty

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Facilitator: Marion Cadier, ICAR

  • Mona Sabella, ESCR-NET

  • Miguel Soto, PODER;

  • Shayda Naficy, Corporate Accountability International

  • Maddalena Neglia, FIDH

 5:00        Travel to Reception

 5:30        ICAR Reception at the Tabard Inn

Presentation of the Gwynne Skinner Human Rights Award


Day II: Thursday, April 25, 2019

American University, Washington College of Law, Warren Building - Ceremonial Classroom               


9:00        Plenary Session: The Power of Sport to Drive Transformational Change

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

Mary Harvey, CEO, Center for Sport and Human Rights, in conversation with Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch

9:30        Interactive Workshops

United 2026: Learning from Beijing, Qatar, and London

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Facilitator: Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch

  • Mary Harvey,  Center for Sport and Human Rights

  • Gigi Alford, Sport and Rights Alliance, World Players Trade Union

  • Cathy Feingold, AFL-CIO, ITUC

  • Professor Robert Stumberg, Georgetown University Law Center

Investor Influence and Investor Responsibility: Sharing Strategies and Exploring Opportunities for Collaboration

Room: N102

  • Facilitator: Sara Blackwell, Investor Alliance for Human Rights

  • Kilian Moote, KnowtheChain, Humanity United

  • Marti Flacks, Business and Human Rights Resource Center (BHRRC)

10:45     Plenary Panel:  Closing of Civic Space: Stories from the Front Lines

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Moderator: Conniel Malek, True Costs Initiative

  • Cathy Feingold, AFL-CIO, ITUC

  • Dr. Yesid Blanco Yariguíes Regional Corporation

  • Peter Micek, AccessNow, KeepItOn

  • Jana Morgan, ICAR, Protect the Protest

12:00     Lunch 

1:00      Communications Workshop: Storytelling with Story District’s Vijai Nathan

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

In this workshop, participants will:

  • Learn what "story" is and why it is an important communications tool;

  • Understand the elements of a good story;

  • Learn how to structure a narrative arc;

  • Practice sharing stories with their peers/the group;

  • Discover how to create an authentic, impactful connection through stories based on personal work experiences; and

  • Volunteers get on-the-spot coaching from trainer.

2:45       Interactive Workshops

Defenders-at-Risk in Development: Emerging Strategies

Room: N102

  • Facilitator: Carla Zendejas, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)

  • Stephanie Amoako, Accountability Counsel

  • Katharine Valencia, Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF)

Rapid Response to Defenders at Risk: Government and Private Sector Approaches

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Facilitators: Bennett Freeman; and Deborah Klepp, US Department of State

  • Carolyn Zander Dallmann, US Department of State

  • Christen Dobson, BHRRC

4:15       Interactive Workshops

Strategic Litigation Brainstorming Session

Room: Ceremonial Classroom

  • Facilitators: Charity Ryerson, CAL and Katie Gallagher, Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)

Making Defender Protections a Top Priority: Tackling Threats Facing Environmental and Land Defenders in Agribusiness

Room: N102

  • Facilitators: Corinna Gillfillan, Global Witness and Keith Slack, ERI

  • Gaurav Madan, Friends of the Earth, United States

  • Lela Stanley, Global Witness

 5:30        Closing Session: Key Insights