Social Risk and Opportunity in the Built Environment

The built environment shapes how people live, work, move, access services and experience dignity, inclusion and opportunity. From urban planning and land acquisition to housing, infrastructure, construction, technology and AI, decisions have profound implications for human rights, social equity and climate resilience.

Yet, too often, these decisions neglect social risks and opportunities, leading to unintended harm and missed potential. With only 8.5% of infrastructure projects delivered on time and on budget, and many facing community pushback, placing people at the centre is not only a social imperative—it’s a financial and environmental one too.

In response to these challenges, IHRB is launching the second edition of the International Certificate on Social Risk and Opportunity in the Built Environment, an interdisciplinary executive education programme designed to equip professionals with the knowledge, frameworks and practical tools needed to navigate the intersection of human rights and the built environment.

Certification

The 2026 edition is supported by the Ove Arup Foundation and delivered in partnership with NOVA School of Law, ensuring globally recognised certification as well as a new, optional in-person module in Lisbon, providing opportunities for deeper exchange, networking and applied learning.

The programme:

• Builds foundational and applied knowledge on human rights risks and opportunities in the built environment;
• Uses real-life examples to explore how human rights considerations intersect with urban development, infrastructure, housing, climate transition and supply chains;
• Strengthens participants’ ability to identify, assess and address social risks across the lifecycle of projects and investments, reducing delays and losses;
• Bridges silos between professionals from different sectors and geographies;
• Creates a global learning community committed to advancing a more inclusive, equitable and resilient built environment.

This certificate is designed for leaders in the planning, financing, delivery and maintenance of the built environment, including:

• Real estate and infrastructure developers
• Urban planners and architects
• Construction and engineering firms
• Financial institutions and investors
• Human rights and sustainability professionals
• Public sector representatives
• Civil society organisations
• Multilateral organisations
• Consultants and researchers

24 September 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

Introduction to Human Rights and the Built Environment

01 October 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

Leverage: Roles, Responsibilities and Accountability Around the Lifecycle

8 October 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

It Begins with Land: Urban Planning, Acquisition and Ownership

15 October 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

The Right to Meaningful Participation: Design With and For Whom?

22 October 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

Corruption, Human Rights and Climate Action

29 October 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

The Building Materials Supply Chain: Risks and Opportunities for People and Planet

5 - 6 November 2026 | NOVA School of Law, Lisbon, Portugal

Human Rights in the Build Environment: Immersive Sessions in Lisbon (hybrid option available)

12 November 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

Construction Workers’ Rights – On Site and Through Supply Chains

19 November 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

The Right to Adequate Housing

3 December 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

Pathways to Just Transitions in the Built Environment

10–December 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM GMT

Technology and AI: Smart Cities, Digital Rights and Non-Discrimination

* The schedule will be finalised in August 2026.

The 2026 syllabus will be available soon. In the meantime, see last year's syllabus.

Course directors: Salil Tripathi and Annabel Short

2025's faculty and guest lecturers included:

• Aditya Kumar, Architect and Activist, University of Cape Town
• Alexandra Bezeredi, Lead Social Development Specialist, Europe and Central Asia Region, World Bank
• Anita Ramasastry, Professor, University of Washington
• Christine Lunde Rasmussen, Head of Society Transformation, Ramboll Management Consulting
• Dan Hill, Director, Melbourne School of Design
• Elaine Mitchell-Hill, International Lead, Design for Freedom
• Ezra Christopher, Technical Programme Coordinator, Caribbean Community Climate Change Center
• Gillian Slovo, Novelist, Memoirist and Playwright
• Kenny Aderogba, Community Relations Officer, Spaces for Change, Lagos
• Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director, Workers Justice Project
• Luis Quintana, Executive Director, Todo Accesible
• Mahmood al-Wahaibi, Co-Founder and Partner, Oman Think Urban  
• Maria da Graça Prado, Lead Research and Policy Adviser, CoST – The Infrastructure Transparency Initiative
• Miloon Kothari, Professor, Geneva Graduate
• Nadia Cicek, Global Manager, Procurement, ESG Legal & Compliance
• Nick Killick, Independent Consultant; Research Fellow, Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB)
• Niels ten Oever, Representative, Data Future Labs
• Ore Fika, Senior Specialist in Urban Land and Housing Development, IHS (Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies)
• Reeaz Chutto, President of CMWEU (Construction, Metal, Wooden and Related Industries Employees Union), Mauritius
• Théo Jaekel, Lawyer Specialized in Business and Human Rights and International Law

• A unique interdisciplinary approach: The programme brings together perspectives from human rights, urban development, finance, sustainability, infrastructure and governance to address complex challenges that cannot be solved through siloed approaches.
• Global faculty and practitioner-led learning: Participants will engage with leading experts, practitioners, academics and advocates from different regions and sectors, combining conceptual frameworks with practical experience.
• Academic partnership with NOVA SBE: The 2026 cohort marks the beginning of a new academic collaboration with NOVA School of Law, enhancing the academic depth and international positioning of the certificate.
• In-person immersion in Lisbon: The optional in-person module creates a stronger learning experience through face-to-face interaction, collaborative exercises and networking opportunities among participants and faculty.
• Practical focus: The course moves beyond theory to explore real dilemmas, implementation challenges, trade-offs and opportunities across the lifecycle of the built environment.

• GBP 2,500 – Private Sector Participants | Early bird fee: GBP 2,000
• GBP 2,000 – Public Sector, NGOs, Academia, and Civil Society Organisations

Early bird fee offer (ends on 30th June)

• GBP 2,000 (Private Sector Participants)
• GBP 1,600 (Public Sector, NGOs, Academia, and Civil Society Organisations)

The course fee includes:

• Full access to all online programme sessions and learning materials;
• Optional participation in the 1.5-day in-person module in Lisbon, including sessions hosted at NOVA School of Law;
• Meals and coffee breaks during the in-person module;
• Access to a global network of faculty, practitioners and participants working at the intersection of human rights and the built environment;
• An official certificate jointly issued by Institute for Human Rights and Business and NOVA School of Law upon successful completion of the programme.

If you are interested in learning more about the programme and want to join the next cohort of changemakers working to ensure the built environment serves not just today’s economy, but the dignity and wellbeing of generations to come.

A limited number of bursaries are available to support participation from individuals based in low- and middle-income regions, as well as candidates from underrepresented or lower-income backgrounds.

The programme is committed to fostering a diverse and globally representative cohort, and financial support requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

If you would like to be considered for financial assistance, please indicate this in your application.