How EU Trade Policy Can Better Promote Sustainability Standards in Supply Chains

The European Union has almost finalised its public consultation on a new regulation around the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). There are several measures that could be taken to improve the GSP’s effectiveness in incentivising positive human...

A Sustainable Maritime Industry Needs to get Human Rights Onboard

Anti-corruption and climate change has been high on the shipping agenda. However, the human rights challenges for crew, in ship building, ship repair and not least ship-recycling are many and complex. The global maritime industry should build on...

The Best of 2019

Companies’ Role in Promoting Social Protectionism in the Coming Trade Wars

This article originally published in Ethical Corporation.

As we move into the third decade of the 21st century, the rules-based free trade system is under significant threat. Last month, the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB), the...

Reflections on Realising a Next Generation of Trade

As part of events to mark its 10th anniversary during 2019, IHRB hosted a major event on the future of international trade in an era of rising populism and protectionism.

Held at the Museum of London Docklands on 3rd December, the event brought...

Beyond a Simple Trading of Powers: An Alternative Future for the Global Mining Industry?

Observers of the mining industry, including those who are watching from the inside, have witnessed a growing demand for governments to safeguard people and the environment, and for business leaders to take greater responsibility in the prevention...

Why the G20 Labour and Employment Statement Matters

The recent G20 Labour and Employment Ministers statement, issued under the German chair of the G20 during 2017, has not received much media attention. Such statements come and go, not many stick in the mind. One of the exceptions was the scrabble to...

John Locke and Brexit - What will Happen to the UK’s Greatest Ever Export?

Today, the UK Government has triggered Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which formally begins the process of disentangling the UK from a body that Churchill himself helped inspire. Whatever the rights and the wrongs of the decision, it is...

From Deal Maker to Diplomat? Business and Human Rights Questions for Rex Tillerson

What does the nomination of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be the next United States Secretary of State mean for the business and human rights agenda?

The selection of Mr. Tillerson is the latest move by a President-elect who campaigned on the...

Overcoming the “Exit Challenge” - Why We Need New Forms of Social Contract

The #Brexit vote in the UK earlier this year, the rise of extreme populists in many parts of Europe and now the USA all pose a central challenge: How to convince people that complex problems need complex solutions? Building walls, leaving...

Brexit Shows ‘Corporate Responsibility’ can no Longer be a Niche Discussion Amongst the ‘Experts’

The result of the UK’s referendum on whether it should remain part of the European Union (EU) has left the country in a state of economic and political turmoil. One question we should be asking is, what does Brexit mean for ongoing efforts to...

The Infrastructure We Don’t Want - OECD Infrastructure Advice to the G20

This commentary was originally published on the Heinrich Böll Foundation website. 

As global growth has stalled over the last few years, the Group of 20 countries (G20) has made infrastructure investment a centerpiece of its policy work, expecting...