HRIBP: Bringing Humanity to Business

HrIBPLogo2The Human Rights in Business Program is dedicated to improving the human rights of individuals and communities worldwide who are impacted by business and economic development. HRIBP strives to identify and reinforce the positive contributions that the private sector can make towards fostering human and environmental well-being, while finding means to mitigate the more detrimental effects of economic activities on human rights protections.

HRIBP advances human rights in businesses through applied and policy relevant research on key human rights and business issues, and support of practical initiatives focused on actively channeling business activities to positively impact on human rights and the environment. HRIBP works in a collaborative fashion with businesses and their stakeholders, providing a neutral convening space to identify common ground on means to improve governance and foster rights-respecting corporate cultures. Housed within an institution of higher learning, HRIBP offers educational programs for students entering the field of human rights, professionals seeking skills development, and the general public to raise awareness on current topics and pressing issues at the nexus of human rights and business.

Our name has changed

The Initiative for Human Rights in Business has changed its name. We are now the Human Rights in Business Program.

Panel Discussion: Doing Business in Burma

Burma7On Tuesday, July 15th at 8:15 am, the Human Rights in Business Program, in conjunction with the International Bar Association, will host a panel discussion, "Doing Business in Burma: The Human Rights Risks and Reporting Requirements" at the offices of DLA Piper, in Washington DC.  The event is open to the public but you must register for the event. Contact Jason Davis at the International Bar Association at [email protected] to RSVP.

Business and HR at Sea FlyerThis webinar examined the applicability of the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights to the maritime industry. Speakers addressed the unique operating environment of the maritime industry and recently developed standards for private maritime security provision. The founder of Human Rights at Sea introduced his new initiative to translate the UN Guiding Principles into the maritime context.

To learn more about the Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) International Maritime Initiative, click here. To view the video recording of the event, click here.

Business & Human Rights Series

Business & Human Rights: Best Practices & Lessons Learned

May15Event4In conjunction with the International Bar Association, the Human Rights in Business Program hosted a discussion, "Human Rights: Best Practices and Lessons Learned" as part of its Human Rights in Business Series. The event took place on May 15th in Washington DC at the offices of Clifford Chance LLP. Speakers for this event were: Gary Klein (DLA Piper/Washington DC), Rae Lindsay (Clifford Chance/London) and Peter Stern (Morrison Foerster/San Francisco). Click here to learn more.
06
JUL
2012

Land Grabbing is Universal

The Guardian in the UK reported on July 5th of a recent seizure of land by the Guatemalan government. Displacing hundreds of indigenous families from lands they tended for generations, the land and nearby villages were destroyed to make way for a large commercial sugar cane...
30
JUN
2012

Barclays Capital and the Business of Commodity Speculation

  I was recently given a link to an interesting paper written last year that explores the business of commodity speculation. Written by Brett Scott at the World Development Movement, it tells the story of Barclays and its business in the commodity derivatives business....
28
JUN
2012

UN PRI Conference at Rio +20 to Focus on Sustainable Investment

I am attending the U.N. Principles for Responsible Investment conference in Rio de Janeiro today. the two day conference will focus on sustainability and investment. The event promises to be an interesting one with a range of speakers from a number of disciplines in investment,...
22
JUN
2012

Negative Impacts of Commodities Speculation

A bibliography entitled “Evidence on the Negative Impact of Commodity Speculation by Academics, Analysts and Public Institutions,” has been updated with a number of additional papers on the topic. Compiled by Markus Henn, at the German NGO,WEED, it is a comprehensive...