A/HRC/41/41/Add.2 46. States in particular should generate, collect and disseminate high-quality, accessible and disaggregated information and data relevant to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in a proactive and timely manner, and should periodically update that information. 47. Environmental information in the possession of business corporations, in particular information on their operations and the possible adverse impact of those operations on human health and the environment, should be made accessible. 48. Information should be disseminated at the national, subnational and local levels, in accessible language and format, for all stakeholders and participants, with minimal expense or other obstacles to access. Access to information is of particular importance to facilitate the participation of individuals and communities at risk, including indigenous peoples and minority groups, in Sustainable Development Goal processes. 49. Individuals who expose wrongdoing, human rights law violations or other threats to the overall public interest, such as risks to public health or the environment, should be protected against legal, administrative or employment-related sanctions. 50. Information on the formal mechanisms that exist for civil society organizations to participate at the national and international levels should be made widely available. 51. All available communications platforms and forums should be utilized to raise awareness and conduct consultations, including physical and online spaces. The use of information technology, such as videoconferencing and online tools, would encourage greater and more diverse civil society participation in Sustainable Development Goal processes. 4. Power and influence 52. All stakeholders should have an equal opportunity to be heard at governmental and intergovernmental forums at the national and international levels. Such opportunities include: access to meetings, processes and bodies; speaking rights with the same opportunities for civil society as those for Governments and private sector entities to express views and opinions and have those views taken into account; and the right to submit documents such as shadow reports and memorandums. 53. All stakeholders should have timely and easy access to all relevant information and documentation – guided by comprehensive and fair access-to-information policies – to enable them to participate effectively. Box 2 Ensuring inclusion and participation of civil society: examples of promising practice Civil society played an active role in shaping the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by contributing expertise, knowledge, amplifying the voices of marginalized populations and those at the grass-roots level, and engaging in all levels of the process. It was one of the best examples of comprehensive engagement of civil society in developing a global plan of action and it succeeded in addressing many of the shortcomings of the Millennium Development Goals. The energy, openness and consultative nature of that process should be the foundation upon which future implementation, monitoring and accountability activities are grounded. In Finland, the Commission for Sustainable Development maintains a web portal through which individuals, civil society organizations and companies can register their commitments to contribute to “the Finland we want by 2050”.a At the time of writing, the website had collected 1,830 operational commitments. The Government of Canada has recognized that: The realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development cannot be achieved without collective action that recognizes and includes the diverse voices and participation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. There is significant alignment between the SDGs and the work of reconciliation – centred on closing socio- 7