At the Business and Conflict Community of Practice (CoP) Annual Workshop — held as part of the UN Business & Human Rights Forum in Geneva — the human rights landscape came into sharp focus. The human rights landscape is shifting fast.

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The stormy clouds on the human rights horizon should concern us all. We are witnessing the highest number of state-based armed conflicts in more than seven decades. Civil society—the backbone of democracy—and UN agencies—the lifeblood of multilateral cooperation—are under pressure from significant funding cuts. At the same time, opaque lobbying and a crisis in political leadership have contributed to the weakening of #BHR legislation.

Despite these challenges, the past 15 years have brought remarkable progress. Regulations have matured, enforcement mechanisms are strengthening, and new leaders are emerging. Notably, countries across Southeast Asia are drafting forward-looking legislation to ensure corporate respect for #humanrights.

Do we need new norms? Perhaps. But what we need most urgently is creative adjustment and accelerated implementation of the norms we already have. The #UNGPs remain fit for purpose, yet the world around them is changing rapidly. The race to secure finite natural resources is fueling conflict and amplifying risks for communities and companies alike.

This is where heightened human rights due diligence (hHRDD) becomes critical. hHRDD enables companies to identify actual and potential risks to people and to the conflict context—offering a more holistic and responsible approach to due diligence. Yet despite its relevance, hHRDD is barely mentioned in the #CSDDD and is largely absent from most responsible business legislation.

To bridge this gap, Quizrr—together with UNDP B+HR—has launched a new training module designed to support businesses navigating these complexities. The training provides practical guidance, real-world scenarios, and tools for embedding hHRDD into existing processes.

The conversations at the CoP in Geneva underscored one message: responsible business cannot wait. Real-time visibility, data-driven clarity, and meaningful engagement are essential for entering markets responsibly and meeting evolving standards.