Japanese enterprises operating in the Lao People's Democratic Republic have deepened their understanding of responsible business practices (RBC) and human rights due diligence (HRDD) through a seminar conducted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Vientiane Office.
The Seminar on "Responsible Business Conduct and the Labour Dimension of Human Rights Due Diligence", held on 27 June 2025 in Vientiane, brought together 11 managers from Japanese manufacturing and logistics enterprises.
The session was guided by the ILO's Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration), providing participants with practical knowledge on responsible business conduct and the labour dimension of HRDD.
In his opening remarks, Yasushi Kikuchi, General Director of JETRO Vientiane, emphasized: "While we consider human rights due diligence important from a risk management perspective, we also believe that strengthening HRDD initiatives can help Japanese businesses gain a new competitive edge."
Yuki Kobayashi, Programme Coordinator of the ILO's Building Responsible Value Chains in Asia Project, highlighted: "It is important to connect HRDD with existing initiatives and management systems within the company to drive continuous improvements."
Participants explored global and regional trends in RBC and business and human rights, with a focus on the role of International Labour Standards in the process of human rights due diligence.
Through a case study and interactive discussion, they shared experiences and challenges in promoting labour rights in their workplaces.
The seminar concluded with a productive exchange of ideas on strengthening responsible business practices at the workplace level in the Lao context.
The seminar was held as part of the ILO's project "Building Responsible Value Chains in Asia through the Promotion of Decent Work in Business Operations (Phase II)", funded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. The project supports efforts in the Lao People's Democratic Republic to promote the labour dimension of responsible business conduct and enhance enterprises' compliance with national laws and the principles of international labour standards.
