A/HRC/34/52 Businesses 61. In June 2016, the Special Rapporteur began to hold meetings with companies and business federations,4 including with extractive industries during his most recent trips, as announced at the outset of his mandate. He is pleased to note that many businesses are increasingly aware of the impact of their activities on human rights. Businesses, especially those working in the extractive and wood industries or with hydroelectric megaprojects, are often mentioned in cases of violence perpetrated against defenders. It therefore seems crucial to engage them in a frank and constructive dialogue with a view to helping them establish mechanisms to prevent the development of tragic situations in the field. Various options are being explored to improve defenders’ participation in development projects and in the setting up of mechanisms for redress and remedies in case of violations. The Special Rapporteur plans to continue working on this topic; his next report on businesses will include practical recommendations to businesses and other stakeholders, such as States and national and international development institutions. 62. The Special Rapporteur also intends to engage directly with businesses in cases where defenders are at risk or come under attack because of actions taken that relate to those businesses’ corporate responsibility. It is essential to inform businesses, particularly parent companies, when such cases are referred to the Special Rapporteur, and to give them the opportunity to provide information on the steps that they themselves, as well as their affiliates and local contractors, have taken to remedy the situation. This is consistent with the search for systemic and long-term solutions for reducing risks for defenders. Regional courts 63. In an effort to revitalize his mandate’s working methods, the Special Rapporteur has sought to develop cooperation with regional courts, for instance, by serving as an expert before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He intends to continue such efforts through amicus curiae and third-party interventions and by serving as an expert on individual cases before other regional courts such as the European Court of Human Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Other actors 64. The Special Rapporteur also considers it important to increase contact with less visible actors such as donors, banks and development agencies, as well as trade unions, whose role in protecting defenders is sometimes critical. With that in mind, he held an initial meeting with the World Bank in Washington, D.C. and a few regional development and investment banks on the issue of retaliation against whistle-blowers. That meeting should be followed by further consultations and collaboration in 2017. F. Wider dissemination of good practices 65. Since the beginning of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur has sought to highlight good practices relating to the protection of defenders. Many initiatives exist, but they often suffer from lack of visibility or of connections to other initiatives. The Special Rapporteur therefore devoted a report (A/HRC/31/55), based on his visits and interactions with various actors, to identifying good practices with a view to their dissemination and intensification. Providing examples of successful initiatives, in which tangible solutions are applied to the problems faced by defenders, is often the best way to convince others of the suitability and effectiveness of such initiatives. 4 14 In Australia, Canada and France. GE.17-00986