The Movement and the IGWiG

One year ago, a remarkable diplomatic consensus that had lasted the better part of a decade was seemingly shattered when the Human Rights Council passed two separate resolutions on business and human rights: one was focused on the continued work of...

How Elephants Can Dance: Unilever’s Human Rights Report Sets a New Benchmark for Business

For a company that started out in the 1880s selling the world’s first branded soap made of the oil from pine kernels, Unilever plc. has come a long way. Today, Unilever has a global reach, and many of us likely use one or more of its products at...

ICTs and Elections: Tackling Network Shutdowns, Hate Speech and Surveillance in Myanmar

Myanmar will hold its much-anticipated general election on November 8th 2015. The Internet will play an important role in these elections.

The country’s ICT sector is developing at speed and there are many ways companies could have a positive...

Anatomy of a business and human rights treaty?

In July an Intergovernmental Working Group will convene at the United Nations in Geneva to begin deliberations about a proposed treaty on business and human rights. But what kind of treaty?

The UN Human Rights Council decided in June 2014 to...

Walking the Talk: 7 Points for the G7

On June 8, the Group of 7 (G7) - which includes the major advanced economies of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—issued a declaration detailing various sets of commitments to address pressing social...

Are sports governing bodies finally on the road to reform?

In the midst of a growing corruption scandal and investigations by US and Swiss authorities, Sepp Blatter has announced his intention to stand down as FIFA President pending a still to be scheduled extraordinary election to select his replacement....

From Refugee to Migrant? Labour Mobility’s Protection Potential

The migrants who have arrived on Europe’s shores in recent weeks, clinging to the wreckage of leaking dinghies, undoubtedly constitute a humanitarian crisis.  Surveys suggest that about half are refugees, mainly Syrians and Eritreans, and many more...

Update on OHCHR “Accountability and Remedy Project”: Online Consultation Process Seeks Stakeholder Views

Last week, on 1 May, we reached an important milestone in the OHCHR Accountability and Remedy Project, with the launch of the global “Open Process” online consultation. This online consultation is the main process through which we aim to gather...

Responsible Business Conduct in Cyberspace

At the Global Conference on CyberSpace held in the Hague in April, I spoke about human rights in the context of development and sales of surveillance technology and software – a fascinating topic that deserves increased attention.

What kind of...

As Companies and Governments Dither over Compensating Rana Plaza Workers, Victims Suffer

Nearly two years after the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, which killed over 1,000 garment workers and severely injured nearly 2,000 more, most victims’ families are still waiting for full compensation for their losses.

Now, with less...

How Not to Respond to Human Rights Leadership: A Primer for Business

When she was appointed Sweden’s Foreign Minister in 2014, Margot Wallström said she would uphold feminist values and champion Sweden’s commitment to international human rights standards. Nothing surprising about it; Sweden ranks high on...

Social Impact Bonds For Factories In Bangladesh

This op-ed was published on Forbes.com on March 24, 2015.

The two main initiatives established in response to the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, where nearly 1,200 garment workers lost their lives from a factory collapse, are wrestling...

What Have We Achieved So Far? Reflections on 2nd anniversary of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business

2015 is a big year for Myanmar, with Parliamentary elections due in November after which the next President will be chosen. Experts suggest we can expect the election process to be generally free and fair, albeit under the Constitution Daw Aung San...

Organisations Seek Stronger Labour Protections in Palm Oil Industry

Today an impressive coalition of diverse human rights and environmental organisations launched the Free and Fair Labor in Palm Oil Production: Principles and Implementation Guidance. Endorsed by more than 20 organizations from around the world, this...

Network Shutdowns in the DRC: ICT Companies Need Clear Rules

Recent events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) involving the government choosing to shut down Internet and SMS services nation wide in response to political unrest and violence are but another example of situations in which ICT...

Do Climate Negotiations Offer Lessons for UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights?

Last week, representatives from nearly 200 countries adopted a draft text on combating climate change, an important step toward a new global treaty world leaders hope to agree in Paris this December.

The 86-page text agreed in Geneva contains a...

Uber and Passenger Safety: Human Rights Aren’t an Optional App for Cab Rides

A woman in India recently sued Uber, the Internet-based ride-hailing service operating out of California, in a US court, seeking unspecified damages. The woman alleges a driver registered with Uber in India raped her and in her American suit she...

The Caravan toward Business Respect for Human Rights

The business and human rights agenda, long critiqued for its voluntary principles and soft standards, has made progress in strengthening accountability mechanisms that help prevent abuse of human rights.   Energy has intensified around governmental...

Why Does Business Still Undervalue Women?

A new report by ActionAid UK, Close the Gap!, finds that women’s wages and labour market participation relative to men’s cost women in developing countries an astounding US$9 trillion every year.

This despite unprecedented economic opportunities...

Rights, Safety at Risk Without Lawful Interception Rules

This piece was originally published in The Myanmar Times.

Myanmar is among the fastest-growing telecommunications markets in the world. However, a key part of Myanmar’s telecommunications legal framework has yet to be finalised: rules governing the...