A cohort of Tanzanian business leaders came together in Arusha on 17-18 October for a two-day Responsible Business Conduct Workshop, which was organised by the IOE and hosted by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE).

The high level of engagement by the Tanzanian business community was evidence of real commitment to operating responsibly and building a sustainable future, as the participants exchanged experiences and best practices, and articulated their needs as to how they could best be supported in this area by other societal actors, including government.

Business and human rights experts from the Centro Vincular, the Global Reporting Initiative, and the IOE, shared information and insights into the business case for responsible business conduct; how to get started with sustainability reporting; and on the support and guidance offered by the UN Guiding Principles and other international instruments. The participants were also introduced to the concept of due diligence, followed by a practical exercise that set out the questions businesses need to ask themselves in their endeavours to behave in a responsible and sustainable manner.

Recognising that responsible business conduct is a crucial topic for all companies big and small, this is the fourth workshop in a series being organised by the IOE with the practical and logistical support of its members on the ground, expert contributions and advice from partners around the world, and financial support from the European Union.

Previous events have taken place in South Africa, Indonesia and Ghana, with further workshops on the horizon in Bangladesh and Cambodia in February 2018.

Material shared at this meeting, and other relevant information, may be downloaded via the links in the side panel. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Mr Peter Hall, IOE Adviser at hall@ioe-emp.com or Ms Anetha Awuku, IOE-EU Projects Manager at awuku@ioe-emp.com