Civil society and grassroots leaders from across Asia are challenging top-down approaches to corporate accountability, spotlighting innovative, community-led models that place affected people at the center of business and human rights (BHR) solutions.
The session, titled "Beyond Crisis: Innovating Community-Led Approaches for Remedy and Corporate Accountability," was co-hosted by Oxfam in Asia, Sal Forest, and the Association of Professional Social Workers & Development Practitioners (APSWDP) India, in partnership with Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF), MAP Foundation, and Raks Thai Foundation. The session took place during the 2025 UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum (UNRBHR), held in Bangkok from 15-19 September 2025
Bringing together human rights defenders, legal advocates, and community organizers, the session underscored the importance of bottom-up engagement in reshaping how companies and institutions respond to human rights harms; both in crisis and non-crisis contexts.
Landmark Cases for Community-Led Legal Action
The panel featured Raweeporn Dokmai, Coordinator, HRDF, who shared the ongoing case of 136 Myanmar migrant workers seeking justice from a UK supermarket over alleged forced labour in Thailand's Mae Sot region.
"Despite overwhelming evidence of abuse; from underpaid wages to inhumane working conditions, this case has remained in limbo in both Thai and UK courts for over five years," said Raweeporn. "Yet the tenacity of the workers, and the cross-border civil society solidarity supporting them, reflects a growing movement for community-driven accountability."
Legal Empowerment for Marginalized Communities
Rajeev Kumar, Hon. Director, APSWDP India, presented Samta Nyay Kendra: a pioneering legal aid clinic for transgender persons. First established in Chandigarh, the initiative has since been replicated in other districts, including Tamil Nadu, building on its success as a model of community-driven justice. The clinics address the systemic legal and economic exclusion faced by India's transgender community, offering holistic support in legal documentation, social protection, and income generation.
"To date, the center has supported over 1,000 individuals with legal aid, ID documentation, and access to social schemes," said Kumar. "Business responsibility must go beyond corporate pledges; it must mean non-discrimination in hiring, real CSR support, and inclusive workplace cultures."
Tools to Shift Power and Promote Transparency
Rapatsa Trirath, Private Sector Programme Manager, Oxfam in Asia, introduced the Community-Based Human Rights Impact Assessment (COBHRAs) model: an alternative to company-led assessments. COBHRAs equip communities with tools to evaluate how business activities affect their rights, strengthen their knowledge, and rebalance power between communities and corporations.
"Meaningful engagement means starting early, engaging continuously and inclusively, identifying risks and impacts, ensuring informed participation, and securing real commitments," Rapatsa emphasized. "Change begins by putting power in the hands of those most affected. More than a tool, COHBRAs is a pathway to justice".
Reimagining Accountability Through Global Mechanisms
Drawing lessons from Korea's experience with the OECD National Contact Point (NCP) mechanism, Hyunpil Na, Executive Director, Korean House for International Solidarity (KHIS) reflected on its limitations and promise. "While the NCP process is non-judicial and often falls short of delivering true remedy, it remains a critical avenue for campaign visibility and government engagement," he noted.
Collective Vision for Policy Reform
In an interactive roundtable session, participants developed shared visions for a more inclusive and enforceable BHR landscape. Key proposals included:
- Mandating human rights due diligence (HRDD) laws and strengthening national action plans (NAPs)
- Scaling effective grievance mechanisms that are transparent, safe, and trusted by workers and communities
- Ensuring corporate non-discrimination policies are backed by legal accountability and sustained stakeholder engagement
- Leveraging external pressure from buyer countries, media, and global investors to influence business behavior
As participants explored pathways toward policy reform, Ponpakin Phruttiwongwanit, Moderator from Sal Forest, underscored that genuine progress demands shared responsibility. "Repairing harm takes time and resources. Human rights cannot wait. Business, investors, regulators, international NGOs, and civil society must move from consultation to co-governance: put communities in the lead, fund their evidence, and share power over decisions and remedy," said Ponpakin.
As the session concluded, a clear message emerged: advancing business and human rights demands long-term, community-led transformation. Panelists highlighted the need for sustained investment in grassroots leadership, legal empowerment, and peer-based capacity-building to ensure that those directly affected are not only heard but supported in driving change.
Participants were urged to move forward with concrete commitments: to elevate frontline voices in every stage of business decision-making, strengthen grievance and remedy mechanisms that communities can access and trust, and collaborate across sectors to turn rights-based frameworks into real-world accountability.