UN Global Compact Business & Human Rights 2027

The Business & Human Rights Accelerator 2027 is organised by the United Nations Global Compact to help companies move from commitments on human rights and labour rights towards practical implementation.

The programme is designed for companies that already have a foundational understanding of human rights and labour rights and want to strengthen how these principles are applied within their business operations and value chains.

Over three months, participating companies learn how to identify and prioritise their most significant human rights and labour rights risks, assess their involvement with potential impacts, engage relevant stakeholders and develop practical actions and metrics.

The programme is aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other international standards. By the end of the Accelerator, each participating company is expected to develop a practical Action Plan addressing its priority human rights risks.

Programme delivery combines global virtual workshops, on-demand learning, regional peer learning and sessions facilitated by UN Global Compact Country Networks.

Companies may participate through an In-Country Track, regional track or the Global Track. The Global Track is available to companies in locations where a Country Network is not running the Accelerator and is facilitated in English.

• The applicant organisation must be a participant of the UN Global Compact or be willing to join.
• The company should currently engage with a Global Compact Country Network in its region or be willing to join one.
• The company should have a foundational understanding of human rights and labour rights and be ready to put this knowledge into practice.
• The company must be willing to identify its human rights risks and impacts.
• The company must be willing to scope a core area of its value chain for further focus.
• The company must commit to developing and submitting an Action Plan addressing identified and prioritised human rights risks.
• The company must commit to completing all mandatory programme requirements.
• The company must be able to appoint two working-level representatives to attend sessions and participate in Accelerator activities.
• The company must appoint an additional executive-level representative to follow programme developments, provide support and participate in relevant high-level activities.
• The company must commit to applying programme outcomes across its strategy and operations.

Participating companies can gain:

• A practical company Action Plan addressing priority human rights and labour rights risks.
• A clearer understanding of company responsibilities relating to human rights.
• Identification and prioritisation of human rights impacts across the value chain.
• A structured human rights due diligence approach aligned with the UN Guiding Principles.
• Greater preparedness for evolving human rights due diligence requirements.
• Improved stakeholder engagement approaches.
• Guidance on remedy and grievance mechanisms.
• Global virtual workshops.
• Regional and in-country peer-learning opportunities.
• On-demand learning resources.
• Support and guidance from Global Compact Country Networks.
• Networking with peer companies, UN partners and experts.
• Certificate of completion recognising participation in the Accelerator.

The official public programme page does not publish a fixed list of documents such as CVs, academic transcripts or degree certificates.

Applicants should be prepared to provide information through the official company application form relating to:

• Participating company details.
• UN Global Compact participation or willingness to join.
• Relevant Global Compact Country Network.
• Company representatives participating in the programme.
• Company commitments relating to human rights and labour rights.
• Other organisational information requested through the official application form.

The official programme page does not publish a numerical scoring framework.

Eligibility and participation depend on factors including:

• UN Global Compact participation or willingness to join.
• Engagement or willingness to engage with a Global Compact Country Network.
• Willingness to identify and assess company human rights risks.
• Commitment to develop and submit a company Action Plan.
• Ability to complete mandatory programme requirements.
• Availability of the required company representatives.
• Commitment to apply programme outcomes within company strategy and operations.
• Availability within the selected programme track.

• Turn corporate human rights commitments into practical action.
• Build a structured human rights due diligence process.
• Identify priority human rights risks across company value chains.
• Develop an actionable company-specific implementation plan.
• Learn from UN Global Compact resources and international standards.
• Engage with companies facing similar sustainability challenges.
• Build connections with UN partners, experts and corporate peers.
• Strengthen organisational readiness for evolving human rights requirements.
• Improve stakeholder engagement and approaches to remedy.
• Gain recognised completion certification.