IHRB’s Senior Advisor on the Built Environment, Annabel Short, joined the discussion on building and construction supply chains throughout the whole lifecycle of a building, alongside Jess Verdon (Senior Sustainability Manager, Multiplex) and Marquise Stillwell (Founder, Openbox) at the World Green Building Council’s webinar: Better Places for People. 

The conversation took place on 7 July 2021 and focused on Principle 5 of WorldGBC's Health & Wellbeing Framework – which encompasses workers’ rights in the supply chain, mental and physical health of construction workers, and the impacts of real estate projects on local communities. 

Annabel provides an overview on what it means to protect human rights across the built environment lifecycle and elevates specific human rights, including the right to adequate housing which incorporates elements such as affordability, accessibility and cultural adequacy. She also shares that human rights bring a fundamental lens to projects that first prioritises minimising risks to people.  

The themes that came up frequently in the discussion were:

  • The human rights dimensions of climate change in the built environment (from rising sea levels affecting residents of coastal cities, to climate-induced migration)

  • The importance of action on social outcomes at the earliest stage of a building project

  • The way in which all built environment decision-makers have some points of leverage that they can harness towards positive social outcomes

 

Watch the recording below

 

About IHRB’s Built Environment Programme
IHRB has developed the Framework for Dignity in the Built Environment, linked to existing standards and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Framework aims to guide decision-making and strengthen collaboration, in order to mitigate risks to human rights and maximise social outcomes throughout the built environment lifecycle. There is a clear need to shift investment into built environments that enable everyone to thrive. We are working to achieve this at three interconnected levels: Ecosystem level, Policy-level and Project-level.