Everyday business is human rights work: CMHR chief executive

There’s war, disease spread, attacks on minority groups globally.

But when the head of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights addressed Manitoba business leaders, she offered more narrow advice: start by looking inwards.

“Every single person in this room is already doing human rights work,” Isha Khan told Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce members during a Friday luncheon.

Spread among the tables in the Delta Hotels ballroom were slips of paper saying “Imagine,” with blank spaces underneath. The sheets are usually found on the national museum’s seventh floor.

It’s important companies understand and identify their values — especially as businesses are bombarded with messaging of corporate social responsibility, Khan told attendees.

From there, they can reflect and model the values as appropriate, the CMHR chief executive said.

She gave some examples of work done within the national museum. When Russia’s invasion into Ukraine broke out, staff opted to use storytelling to spread awareness.

Even earlier, in 2020 — when Khan joined the team — the CMHR was called out by its own staff for discrimination.

An independent review spotlighted the issues. Leadership needed to go back to the drawing board and identify the institution’s values, Khan said.

“We made a choice to acknowledge that we had made mistakes and we could do better,” she said. “We took it on knowing that it could take time and we committed.”

Businesses often struggle with “the consequences of doing the wrong thing, even with good intention” when wading into human rights and socially charged issues, said Loren Remillard, president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

“There’s a bit of cynicism to when a corporate community leans in,” he continued, noting many local businesses want to do things out of an “authentic desire to help.”

Khan’s message comes amid a swarm of troubling global events, including wars and attacks on human rights globally, Remillard said.

Some firms have gotten fatigued by politically charged human rights topics, including diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Really, in the DEI context, businesses want “the best talent.” That involves a diverse employee pool, Remillard said.

“It’s not like you have to get into this ideological debate over it,” he said after the event. “Just go about doing the work that you were already doing.”

Khan addressed reservations the private sector might have about human rights. In business, it’s about respecting the dignity of staff and customers in the workplace, she said.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com