INTRODUCTION Who is this Guidance Document for? This Guidance Document is for the government, the business sector, civil society organizations (CSOs), and communities. While the government and the business sector, as duty-bearers, have leading roles in the application of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP-BHR) in the country, CSOs and communities have a crucial role as key stakeholders in the business and human rights discourse in the country. This guidance is also for anyone who wishes to know more about how human rights are relevant to businesses, the expectations from each stakeholder, and how to secure people’s dignity and human rights in a business context. What is the purpose of this Guidance Document? This Guidance Document intends to inform all stakeholders of the prevailing norm and key expectations under the UNGP-BHR concerning the protection and respect of human rights in the business setting. As it builds on existing efforts of the stakeholders to incorporate human rights in their practices, it aims to equip them with practical guidance on how they can better fulfill their respective obligations and responsibilities concerning business interaction with human rights, including the integration of a gender perspective. It also presents opportunities for all stakeholders to work together and appreciate the spaces they can benefit from and contribute to sustainable, inclusive development. How was this Guidance Document produced? In September 2019, the Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Center (ESCRC) of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) initiated a Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Business and Human Rights. The forum gathered the stakeholders to create the Business and Human (BHR) Agenda and to form the Multi-Stakeholder BHR Group to promote the application of the UNGP-BHR in the Philippine context. The primary objective of the Multi-Stakeholder BHR Group is to contribute to the understanding of the relevant stakeholders of their human rights obligations and responsibilities as well as provide them with guidance for a more holistic and all-inclusive approach to the protection and respect of human rights. In partnership with the CHR, the Multi-Stakeholder BHR Group spearheaded the development of this Guidance Document as an initial effort to advance the BHR Agenda in the country. The insights shared by the stakeholders in the consultations that followed formed the backbone of this Guidance Document. Who are the contributors to this Guidance Document? This Guidance Document is a product of the close collaboration of the member-organizations of the Multi-Stakeholder BHR Group, led by the ESCRC of the CHR. The publication of this Guidance Document is supported by the European Union and UN Women through the WeEmpowerAsia Philippines Programme. 1