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Hector Tejero Tobed
Researcher in Public International Law
Biography Héctor is a Research Assistant in Public International Law, and joined BIICL in October 2018. He assists and conducts research on various issues on Public International Law. Prior to joining BIICL, Héctor completed a LL.M in Public International Law at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and was a Legal Intern at REDRESS, where he focused on the Inter-American system for the protection of human rights. Formerly, he has been involved in cooperation projects…
Business and Human Rights+1Lise Smit
Senior Research Fellow in Business and Human Rights and Director, Human Rights Due Diligence Forum
Biography Lise Smit is Senior Research Fellow in Business and Human Rights, and joined BIICL in March 2015. She conducts research on corporate human rights due diligence and other aspects of implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Prior to joining the Institute, Lise was a practicing advocate at the Cape Town Bar in South Africa. She has worked on business and human rights issues for the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre and the UN Global Compact Office.…
Business and Human Rights+1Irene Pietropaoli
Research Leader in Business & Human Rights
Biography Dr Irene Pietropaoli is a Research Leader in Business and Human Rights and joined BIICL in October 2018. She conducts research on corporate human rights due diligence, other aspects of implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights, and legislation on modern slavery in supply chain. Irene is also leading BIICL's work on Artificial Intelligence and its links with business and human rights. Prior to joining BIICL, Irene worked with international organisations…
AI and Data Worlds+2Claire Bright
Associate Research Fellow in Business and Human Rights
Biography Dr Claire Bright is an Associate Research Fellow at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, as well as an Assistant Professor in Private Law at Nova Law School in Lisbon. She specialises in Business and Human Rights. Claire regularly organizes events and delivers short courses and trainings in the field. Her work to date has resulted in a number of peer reviewed publications in English, French, Italian and Spanish, including in the following journals: International…
Business and Human RightsShort Course: Business and Human Rights
Event Date: 27th October 2021
EVENTS Short Course: Business and Human Rights Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Course Details Business and human rights is an area of international human rights law in continuous development at the international and national levels. On successful completion of BIICL's Business and Human Rights…
Business and Human Rights+1Short Course: Public International Law in Practice
Event Date: 7th October 2021
EVENTS Short Course: Public International Law in Practice Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details The Public International Law in Practice course offers a dynamic introduction into applied public international law from the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. The programme focuses…
Business and Human Rights+9HRDD Forum: Covid-19 and Value Chains: Three recent studies
Event Date: 9th September 2021
EVENTS HRDD Forum: Covid-19 and Value Chains: Three recent studies Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details At this thematic session, speakers will present their recent findings on the impact of Covid-19 in value chains, all the way from the agricultural fields, through the garment supply…
Business and Human Rights+4Inter-State Complaints in International Human Rights Law
Event Date: 30th June 2021
EVENTS Inter-State Complaints in International Human Rights Law Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details The possibility to complain about the violation of human rights before a supra-national body is an essential element towards the effective implementation of international human rights law. Beyond…
Business and Human Rights+9Webinar Series: Business, Human Rights and the Environment in Europe
Event Date: 24th June 2021
EVENTS Webinar Series: Business, Human Rights and the Environment in Europe: Connecting the Dots Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Series Overview With the support of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Nova Centre on Business, Human Rights and the Environment (NOVA…
Business and Human Rights+2Data for investor action on modern slavery
16th June 2021
Report laying groundwork for developing data solutions for investors to help address modern slavery. This report, entitled Data for Investor Action on Modern Slavery: A Landscape Analysis, was developed by Florian Ostmann and Alex Harris from the Alan Turing Institute and Nyasha Weinberg, Irene Pietropaoli and Lise Smit from the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law. The outputs of the project include a full report, brief Research Summary and a catalogue of data resources on modern slavery…
AI and Data Worlds+2Data for Investor action on Modern Slavery
Event Date: 15th June 2021
EVENTS Data for investor action on modern slavery Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details There is increasing recognition of the important role of investors when it comes to addressing modern slavery risks in business supply chains and the private sector more generally. Investors' information needs…
AI and Data Worlds+2Human Rights Responsibilities of Multi-National Enterprises Working in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector in Cuba
Jean-Pierre Gauci | 15th June 2021
Companies, including foreign companies, operating in the tourism and hospitality sector in Cuba have the responsibility to respect the human rights of workers. This includes the duty to set up policies and due diligence processes to assess the risk of labour exploitation in their supply chains, to identify exploitation cases, and to take steps to ensure access to remedy for those workers whose rights may have been abused. States where those companies are domiciled also have obligations…
Business and Human Rights+2HRDD Forum: Forum non conveniens and access to remedy in UK courts post-Brexit
Event Date: 14th June 2021
EVENTS Forum non conveniens and access to remedy in UK courts post-Brexit Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details Since Brexit, the Brussels I Recast Regulation no longer applies to UK courts. The Regulation overcomes the forum non conveniens doctrine by establishing the jurisdiction…
Brexit+2Corporate Due Diligence and Climate Change
31st May 2021
This blog post is based on the intervention of Ivano Alogna in the webinar on Corporate Due Diligence and the Green Deal organised by the Nova Centre on Business, Human Rights and the Environment with the support of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union in partnership with the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, the Portuguese Ombudsman (Provedor de Justiça), the Teaching Business and Human Rights Forum, and NOVA 4 The Globe on…
Business and Human Rights+2The legal implications of the proposed German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettengesetz)
Event Date: 27th April 2021
EVENTS HRDD Forum: The legal implications of the proposed German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettengesetz) Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details In March 2021, a German bill on mandatory human rights due diligence in supply chains was passed by the Federal Cabinet. The Lieferkettengesetz…
Business and Human RightsShort Course: Business and Human Rights
Event Date: 7th April 2021
EVENTS Short Course: Business and Human Rights Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Course Details Business and human rights is an area of international human rights law in continuous development at the international and national levels. On successful completion of BIICL's Business and Human Rights…
Business and Human Rights+1Part 1: The Great Vaccination Passports Debate: “ID Cards on Steroids” or the Rational Way Forward?
1st April 2021
This is a two-part blog series. In Part 1, Prof. Lilian Edwards discusses if there is a case for vaccine passports at all. In Part 2, Dr. Irene Pietrapaoli discusses the legal and practical detail of such schemes if it is decided to proceed. The UK Government recently consulted on setting up a "COVID-Status certification scheme" (CSCS), looking "to consider the ethical, equalities, privacy, legal and operational aspects of a potential certification scheme, and what limits, if any, should…
AI and Data Worlds+2Part 2: Getting Digital Health Passports Right? Legal, Ethical and Equality Considerations
1st April 2021
This is a two-part blog series. In Part 1 Prof. Lilian Edwards discusses if there is a case for vaccine passports at all. In Part 2, Dr. Irene Pietrapaoli discusses the legal and practical detail of such schemes if it is decided to proceed. The UK Government has just closed a public consultation on a 'COVID-Status certification scheme' (CSCS). We submitted our response where we make the following arguments. The Government should consider before commissioning new technologies…
AI and Data Worlds+2The importance of civil liability for a corporate human rights duty
16th March 2021
Image courtesy of Sosialistisk Ungdom (SU) Transcript of the intervention of Lise Smit in the webinar on Corporate Due Diligence and Civil Liability on 28 January 2021 organised by the Nova Centre on Business, Human Rights and the Environment with the support of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union in partnership with the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, the Portuguese Ombudsman (Provedor de Justiça), the Teaching Business and Human…
Business and Human Rights+1Effectiveness of Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act
26th February 2021
Report analysing how effective section 54 has been in holding UK businesses accountable for modern slavery in their supply chains. Executive summary In 2015, the Government of the United Kingdom (Government) introduced section 54 (section 54) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA). Section 54 requires businesses with a certain annual turnover to publish a 'slavery and human trafficking statement' (MSA statement) every year. In the express intention of the lawmakers, the MSA statement would…
Business and Human Rights+1Contesting AI Explanations in the UK
Event Date: 24th February 2021
EVENTS Contesting AI explanations in the UK Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Co-organised by BIICL and Event Details Legal explanations of artificial intelligence (AI) are shaping its future. The General Data Protection Regulation includes a 'right to explanation' that secures a limited opening of the algorithmic…
AI and Data Worlds+1Short Course: Public International Law in Practice
Event Date: 16th February 2021
EVENTS Short Course: Public International Law in Practice Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Course Details The Public International Law in Practice course offers a dynamic introduction into applied public international law from the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. The…
Arbitration+6HRDD Forum: Human Rights Due Diligence in Contracts
Event Date: 27th January 2021
EVENTS HRDD Forum: Human Rights Due Diligence in Contracts Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details Company surveys show that contractual clauses are the most frequently used mechanism for supply chain human rights due diligence. Yet supplier surveys show that contractual obligations,…
Business and Human RightsCivil Remedies and Human Rights in Flux
21st January 2021
On 22-26 October 2020, the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights (Faculty of Law, University of Oxford) hosted an online roundtable to discuss challenges and opportunities for using civil claims against state and non-state actors as a mechanism for human rights accountability ("Roundtable"). This Roundtable was part of the research project funded by the Oak Foundation to conduct a comparative study of civil liability for human rights violations across several jurisdictions in the Global…
Business and Human Rights+1What does human rights due diligence for climate change impacts look like?
13th January 2021
The collected presentations of the BIICL webinar series "Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts" is now available here. BIICL held the webinar series 'Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts' from 10 September to 1 October 2020. This topic came to our attention as requiring further consideration when we were leading a study for the European Commission on regulatory options for mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence. The study showed that…
Business and Human Rights+2Webinar Series: Episode 5: Business and Human Rights Developments in Greece
Event Date: 12th January 2021
Webinar Series: Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe Series Episode 5: Business and Human Rights Developments in Greece Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Jointly organised by BIICL and Nova School of Law Concept Various jurisdictions across the world have adopted National Action Plans…
Business and Human RightsHuman Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts: Webinar Series Report
12th January 2021
This report has been updated on 14 January 2021 The British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) held the webinar series 'Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts' from 10th September to 1st October 2020, as part of the newly established BIICL Human Rights Due Diligence Forum. Developments around mandatory human rights due diligence laws are multiplying across Europe, and increasingly include climate change impacts within their scope. As a result, companies,…
Business and Human Rights+2Webinar Series: Episode 4: Business and Human Rights Developments in Switzerland
Event Date: 15th December 2020
Webinar Series: Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe Episode 4: Business and Human Rights Developments in Switzerland Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Jointly organised by Nova School of Law and BIICL Concept Various jurisdictions across the world have adopted National Action…
Business and Human RightsBook Launch: Business, Human Rights and Transitional Justice
Event Date: 12th November 2020
EVENTS Book Launch: Business, Human Rights and Transitional Justice Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Detail The Oxford Business and Human Rights Network and the Oxford Transitional Justice Research host the launch of 'Business, Human Rights and Transitional Justice' (Routledge, 2020) …
Business and Human RightsWebinar Series: Episode 3: Business and Human Rights Developments in Italy
Event Date: 10th November 2020
Webinar Series: Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe Episode 3: Business and Human Rights Developments in Italy Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Jointly organised by Nova School of Law and BIICL Concept Various jurisdictions across the world have adopted National Action Plans in Business…
Business and Human RightsWebinar Series: Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe
Event Date: 10th November 2020
Webinar Series:: Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Jointly organised by Nova School of Law and BIICL Concept Various jurisdictions across the world have adopted National Action Plans in Business and Human Rights and have enacted legislations or…
Business and Human RightsShort Course: Business and Human Rights
Event Date: 26th October 2020
EVENTS Short Course: Business and Human Rights Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details Business and human rights is an area of international human rights law in continuous development at the international and national levels. On successful completion of BIICL's Business and Human Rights…
Business and Human Rights+1Trade, Tech, and Artificial Intelligence: Exporting British Values?
Event Date: 15th October 2020
EVENTS Trade, Tech, and Artificial Intelligence: Exporting British Values? Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Organised in conjunction with Event details The UK industrial strategy sets out grand challenges to put UK business at the forefront of the industries of the future. It has set Artificial Intelligence…
AI and Data Worlds+2Webinar Series: Episode 2: Business and Human Rights Developments in Spain
Event Date: 13th October 2020
Webinar Series: Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe Series Episode 2: Business and Human Rights Developments in Spain Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Jointly organised by BIICL and Nova School of Law Concept Various jurisdictions across the world have adopted National Action Plans in…
Business and Human RightsVirtual Course: Business and Human Rights
Event Date: 7th October 2020
ONLINE Virtual Course: Business and Human Rights Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Course Details Business and human rights is an area of international human rights law in continuous development at the international and national levels. On successful completion of BIICL's Business and Human Rights…
Business and Human Rights+1HRDD Forum Webinar Series: Episode 4: Meeting the Standard: What Does Adequate Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Look Like in Practice?
Event Date: 1st October 2020
HRDD Forum Webinar Series: Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts Episode 4: Meeting the Standard: What Does Adequate Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Look Like in Practice? Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Concept Developments around mandatory human rights due diligence…
Business and Human Rights+1Virtual Course: Public International Law in Practice
Event Date: 29th September 2020
ONLINE Virtual Course: Public International Law in Practice Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Course Details The Public International Law in Practice course offers a dynamic introduction into applied public international law from the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. The programme…
Arbitration+6Business and Human Rights Developments in Belgium, Luxembourg and Portugal
Event Date: 28th September 2020
EVENTS HRDD Forum: Business and Human Rights developments in Belgium, Luxembourg and Portugal Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details In this session, experts will present findings from recent studies on the business and human rights landscapes of Belgium, Luxembourg and Portugal. These…
Business and Human RightsHRDD Forum Webinar Series: Episode 3: Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence Laws: What are their Implications Regarding Corporate Climate Change impacts?
Event Date: 24th September 2020
HRDD Forum Webinar Series: Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts Episode 3: Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence Laws: What are their Implications Regarding Corporate Climate Change Impacts? Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Concept Developments around mandatory human rights due…
Business and Human Rights+1Short Course: Public International Law in Practice
Event Date: 22nd September 2020
EVENTS Short Course: Public International Law in Practice Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event details Short Course Public International Law in Practice offers a dynamic introduction into applied public international law from the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. The…
Arbitration+5HRDD Forum Webinar Series: Episode 2: The (intended) impact of climate change litigation on corporate due diligence
Event Date: 17th September 2020
HRDD Forum Webinar Series: Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts Episode 2: The (intended) impact of climate change litigation on corporate due diligence Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Concept Developments around mandatory human rights due diligence laws are multiplying across…
Business and Human Rights+1EU Vice President Heidi Hautala Speaks at BIICL Webinar
17th September 2020
Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe The webinar series on Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe kicked off on the 15th of September 2020. It is jointly organised by Nova School of Law and the British Institute for International and Comparative Law. The keynote speech was delivered by the Vice-president of the European Parliament, Heidi Hautala. In recent years, much of the attention in the business and human rights field has focused overwhelmingly…
Business and Human RightsWebinar Series: Episode 1: Business and Human Rights Developments in Portugal
Event Date: 15th September 2020
Webinar Series: Business and Human Rights Developments in Southern Europe Episode 1: Business and Human Rights Developments in Portugal Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Jointly organised by Nova School of Law and BIICL Concept Various jurisdictions across the world have adopted National Action Plans…
Business and Human RightsHRDD Forum Webinar Series: Episode 1: Corporate Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts: The Status Quo
Event Date: 10th September 2020
HRDD Forum Webinar Series: Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts Episode 1: Corporate Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts: The Status Quo Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Concept Developments around mandatory human rights due diligence laws are multiplying across…
Business and Human Rights+1HRDD Forum Webinar Series: Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts
Event Date: 10th September 2020
Webinar Series: Human Rights Due Diligence for Climate Change Impacts Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Concept Developments around mandatory human rights due diligence laws are multiplying across Europe, and increasingly include climate change impacts within their scope. As a result, companies,…
Business and Human Rights+1Submission on the Issue of the Applicable Law in the Revised Draft of the Business and Human Rights
3rd July 2020
The report of the fifth session of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights (OEIGWG) stated: that the Chair-Rapporteur invite and encourage regional and political groups, intergovernmental organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations and all other relevant stakeholders, as appropriate, to organize consultations at all levels, including in particular at the…
Business and Human RightsEurope Consultation on Revised Draft of the Proposed Business and Human Rights Treaty
Event Date: 1st July 2020
CONSULTATION Europe Consultation on Revised Draft of the Proposed Business and Human Rights Treaty Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details In June 2014, the UN Human Rights Council established an open-ended intergovernmental working group 'to elaborate an international legally…
Business and Human RightsHRDD Forum: How to measure the 'effectiveness' of corporate human rights regulation
Event Date: 15th June 2020
EVENTS HRDD Forum: How to measure the 'effectiveness' of corporate human rights regulation Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event details On 29 April 2020 the European Commission announced a legislative initiative on mandatory due diligence for human rights and environmental impacts, based…
Business and Human RightsArtificial Intelligence and Data Economy: A Business and Human Rights Approach
Event Date: 2nd June 2020
WEBINAR Artificial Intelligence and Data Economy: A Business and Human Rights Approach Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Recording of the webinar Artificial Intelligence and Data Economy: A Business and Human Rights Approach Event Details This is the second webinar in our series on 'Artificial…
AI and Data Worlds+2Law firms and chambers seminar: Regulatory options for human rights due diligence in the EU and UK: Presentation of two BIICL studies
Event Date: 6th May 2020
EVENTS Law firms and chambers seminar: Regulatory options for human rights due diligence in the EU and UK: Presentation of two BIICL studies Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details During 2019, calls for mandatory human rights due diligence laws multiplied across Europe, and businesses…
Business and Human RightsBusiness seminar: Presentation of two BIICL studies on human rights due diligence regulatory options in the UK and EU
Event Date: 4th May 2020
Events Business seminar: Presentation of two BIICL studies on human rights due diligence regulatory options in the UK and EU Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event details During 2019, calls for mandatory human rights due diligence laws multiplied across Europe, and businesses are increasingly…
Business and Human RightsBIICL-led due diligence study basis for European legislative initiative
30th April 2020
European Commission will launch a legislative initiative to consider the introduction of mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence Yesterday, on 29 April, EC Commissioner Didier Reynders (DG Justice and Consumers) presented the BIICL-led study on due diligence requirements through the supply chain. During the presentation, it was announced that the European Commission will launch a legislative initiative to consider the introduction of mandatory human rights and environmental…
Business and Human RightsHRDD Forum: Damage control or opportunity for change?
Event Date: 1st April 2020
EVENTS HRDD Forum: Damage control or opportunity for change?: Working with companies after the identification of human rights impacts Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event details As expectations on business to undertake human rights due diligence are mounting, companies, advisers and other…
Business and Human RightsEuropean Parliament in-depth analysis on Sustainable Consumption and Consumer Protection Legislation
1st April 2020
This In-Depth Analysis on "Sustainable Consumption and Consumer Protection Legislation", authored by Bert Keirsbilck, Evelyne Terryn, Anaïs Michel (KU Leuven) and Ivano Alogna (BIICL), was commissioned by Policy Department A at the request of the European Parliament's Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), in order to provide the Members of the European Parliament with evidence and recommendations for the own-initiative report entitled "Towards a more sustainable…
Business and Human Rights+3Human Rights Due Diligence Forum Events
Last Updated: 5th March 2020
HRDD Forum Events Events and conferences The Forum is a membership-based group, bringing together some of the most expert and experienced lawyers working in the field. The Forum organises around 3-4 Roundtables a year involving thematic discussions on business and human rights related topics as they relate to legal practitioners. On occasion, external speakers may be invited to present on certain topics. In addition to the member-only events, there will be one public…
Business and Human RightsEuropean Commission study on due diligence in supply chains published
24th February 2020
Today a study for the European Commission by BIICL, Civic Consulting and LSE Consulting was published by the European Commission. The study focused on due diligence requirements to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for abuses of human rights, including the rights of the child and fundamental freedoms, serious bodily injury or health risks, environmental damage, including with respect to climate. Through desk research, country analyses, interviews and surveys the study identifies Market…
Business and Human RightsEuropean Commission study on due diligence in supply chains
24th February 2020
This study for the European Commission focuses on due diligence requirements to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for abuses of human rights, including the rights of the child and fundamental freedoms, serious bodily injury or health risks, environmental damage, including with respect to climate. The study was conducted by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (lead), Civic Consulting and LSE Consulting. Through desk research, country analyses, interviews…
Business and Human RightsA UK failure to prevent mechanism for corporate human rights harms: Is it legally feasible?
Event Date: 11th February 2020
EVENTS A UK failure to prevent mechanism for corporate human rights harms: Is it legally feasible? e? Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Sponsored by Event Details In March 2017, the UK Joint Committee on Human Rights released a report on business and human rights in which it proposed the introduction of a…
Business and Human RightsNew BIICL Report Looks at Preventing Human Rights Harms
11th February 2020
Report explores the legal feasibility of introducing a corporate duty to prevent human rights harms. Today BIICL in partnership with Hogan Lovells and Quinn Emmanuel launches a new report entitled 'A UK Failure to Prevent Mechanism for Corporate Human Rights Harms'. Key findings include: The majority of companies surveyed indicated that existing law does not provide business with sufficient legal certainty about which procedures are required to avoid legal risks for human rights abuses.…
Business and Human RightsA UK Failure to Prevent Mechanism for Corporate Human Rights Harms
11th February 2020
As developments around mandatory human rights due diligence laws are taking place rapidly across Europe, this report considers the legal feasibility of introducing into UK law a corporate duty to prevent human rights harms. In 2010, the UK Bribery Act introduced an offence if a company fails to prevent bribery. In 2017, the UK Joint Committee on Human Rights proposed that this model could be used for corporate human rights abuses. The report considers whether and how the legal elements…
Business and Human RightsShort Course: Business and Human Rights
Event Date: 3rd February 2020
EVENTS Short Course: Business and Human Rights Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details Business and human rights is an area of international human rights law in continuous development at the international and national levels. On successful completion of BIICL's Business and Human…
Business and Human RightsHRDD Fourm: The interaction between investment disputes and human rights due diligence
Event Date: 4th December 2019
EVENTS HRDD Forum: The interaction between investment disputes and human rights due diligence Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details Following recent regulatory decisions aimed at reaching climate change targets, states such as the Netherlands, Germany and the EU are facing investment…
Business and Human RightsBlog: The interaction between investment disputes and human rights due diligence
4th December 2019
On 4 December 2019, the newly-established Human Rights Due Diligence Forum of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law convened its first meeting. The topic was the interaction between investment disputes and human rights due diligence. The main focus of the meeting was on the implications of newly adopted or proposed laws on human rights due diligence. Such laws essentially place the responsibility of prevention of human rights violations on multinational enterprises,…
Business and Human Rights+1Short Course: Public International Law in Practice (November 2019)
Event Date: 28th November 2019
EVENTS Short Course: Public International Law in Practice Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details Short Course Public International Law in Practice offers a dynamic introduction into applied public international law from the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.…
Arbitration+6UNGPs in Legal Practice Roundtable Series: Human Rights Due Diligence and Corporate Liability
Event Date: 11th September 2019
EVENTS UNGPs in Legal Practice Roundtable Series: Human Rights Due Diligence and Corporate Liability Event - Tags Share Links Event - Timings and Location Event Details In the sixth roundtable of our UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in Legal Practice Roundtable series, we will explore the links between human rights due diligence…
Business and Human RightsBlog: Zuckerberg is right: third party standards must govern online speech
Lise Smit, Ulysses Smith | 6th April 2019
While some lawmakers and privacy advocates have criticized Mark Zuckerberg's recent call for greater government oversight, deeming it PR-driven and self-serving, the proposal he outlined goes a long way toward reforming an issue of enormous significance in the tech space. He advocates for third-party content standards, which would sharply reduce Facebook and other companies' power to decide what constitutes protected speech.Freedom of speech, guaranteed under the First Amendment of the Constitution,…
Business and Human RightsOnline advertising, human rights and the Rule of Law (New York)
Event Date: 3rd April 2019
Time: 18.00-19.30 (Registration from 17.30) Venue: Cantor Boardroom 11-75, New York University Stern School of Business, Henry Kaufman Management Center (KMC), 44 West 4th Street, New York 10012 This discussion will consider the human rights implications of current online advertising practices, and how advertisers, internet platforms, and advertising companies can be expected to address these risks. Advertisers face potential reputational risks when brands are associated with hateful or harmful…
Business and Human RightsUK Business and Human Rights Scholars Network meeting
Event Date: 25th March 2019
Time: 12.00-17.30 (Registration from 11.30) Venue: British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP UK Business and Human Rights' Scholars Network is a multi-disciplinary initiative led by the Essex Business and Human Rights Project. It brings together scholars interested in all areas of business and human rights from any discipline. The goal of the Network is to create space and opportunities for scholars researching, teaching and…
Business and Human RightsIs Corporate Accountability Possible in Capitalism?
Event Date: 25th March 2019
Time: 17.30 19.30 (Registration from 17.00) Venue: British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP The speakers on the panel will discuss the demand for corporate accountability in a context where more and more areas of life are organised by, and mediated through corporations, for profit. This increased corporate presence has led to areas of friction where the demand for 'corporate accountability' seeks to address the balance between…
Business and Human RightsBlog: Access to Legal Remedies for Victims of Corporate Human Rights Abuses in Third Countries
1st March 2019
Ensuring effective access to legal remedies for victims of corporate human rights abuses in third countries is a key part of both the State's duty to protect human rights and the business responsibility to respect human rights, as recognised under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.A recent study by Axel Marx, Claire Bright and Jan Wouters was conducted for the European Parliament on "Access to legal remedies for victims of corporate human rights abuses". The study mapped…
Business and Human RightsBlog: Civil society and corporate lawyers should work together on human rights due diligence
30th January 2019
Current trends suggest the law could drive corporate action on human rights In the current legal framework, direct corporate legal obligations for human rights are rare. As a result, claimants and their legal representatives have found creative ways to bring human rights claims through other avenues such as tort, consumer claims and statutory provisions. However, we are seeing some examples of corporate legal obligations for human rights developing, centred around the standard of human rights…
Business and Human RightsThe UNGPs and Legal Accountability in Corporate Groups
Event Date: 29th January 2019
Time: 14.00-16.00 (Registration from 13.30) Venue: British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP In the fourth roundtable of our UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in Legal Practice Roundtable series, we will explore various developments around corporate group liability for human rights impacts. We will consider attribution through the "identification" versus enterprise or "corporate culture" methods, how…
Business and Human RightsEuropean Commission study on due diligence in supply chains
Lise Smit | 1st January 2019
This study for the European Commission focuses on due diligence requirements to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for abuses of human rights, including the rights of the child and fundamental freedoms, serious bodily injury or health risks, environmental damage, including with respect to climate. The study was conducted by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (lead), Civic Consulting and LSE Consulting. Through desk research, country analyses, interviews…
Business and Human RightsBlog: Governments can help make business more diligent on human rights
18th December 2018
In the last few months, a host of new initiatives and regulations have been announced around mandatory transparency and mandatory due diligence for companies On 29 November 2018, the Australian Parliament approved the Modern Slavery Act, which will require companies headquartered or with operations in Australia to submit a 'Modern Slavery Statement'. By virtue of the AUD$100 million threshold, the Australian Act will apply to fewer companies than the UK Modern Slavery Act, but it imposes…
Business and Human RightsA "failure to prevent" adverse human rights impacts mechanism project
Lise Smit | 1st October 2018
In March 2017, the UK Joint Committee on Human Rights released a report on business and human rights in which it proposed the introduction of a "failure to prevent" mechanism for corporate human rights abuses. BIICL, with support from international law firms Hogan Lovells and Quinn Emanuel, conducted a study into the feasibility and options of such a "failure to prevent" mechanism. The study explored what such a mechanism could look like, whether it would be criminal…
Business and Human RightsWhen national law conflicts with international human rights standards
Lise Smit | 17th May 2018
The first research supported by the Bingham Centre's Business Network examines how companies can adhere to international human rights standards, as described in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, when faced with contradictory domestic laws or practices. The research brought together the international legal framework, existing guidance for specific issues or sectors, and practical examples for businesses. The research methodology included semi-structured conversations…
Business and Human RightsMaking sense of managing human rights issues in supply chains
1st January 2018
After a successful research project with Norton Rose Fulbright in 2016, entitled 'Exploring Human Rights Due Diligence', BIICL and Norton Rose Fulbright undertook a follow-up project in 2017/18, which analysed managing human rights issues in supply chains. As part of this project, BIICL and Norton Rose Fulbright co-hosted a session at the 2017 Annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva, with support from Hogan Lovells and Foley Hoag. The session focused on "Human rights remedies…
Business and Human RightsBIICL and PRI: Human Rights in Private Equity Investment
24th November 2017
BIICL and PRI Workshop on Human Rights in Private Equity: Information and Summary It is increasingly expected that human rights due diligence (HRDD) is undertaken by businesses, as per the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises, emerging laws such as the UK Modern Slavery Act and the French duty of vigilance law, and other proposed legislative reforms. According to the UNGPs, all business enterprises regardless of sector…
Business and Human RightsBIICL and PRI: Human Rights in Private Equity Investment
Lise Smit | 5th June 2017
It is increasingly expected that human rights due diligence (HRDD) is undertaken by businesses, as per the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises, emerging laws such as the UK Modern Slavery Act and the French duty of vigilance law, and other proposed legislative reforms. According to the UNGPs, all business enterprises regardless of sector have a responsibility to respect human rights, and to carry out necessary HRDD.…
Business and Human RightsWhen national law conflicts with international human rights standards
Lise Smit | 1st March 2017
BIICL recently completed a study for the Business Network on addressing conflicts between international human rights standards and national laws. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights expect companies to respect international human rights wherever they operate. However, questions often arise as to how businesses should adhere to international human rights standards when faced with contradictory national laws or practices. BIICL's research brings together the international…
Business and Human RightsBusiness and Human Rights Due Diligence in Supply Chains
Lise Smit | 1st March 2017
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were unanimously adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, and require all business enterprises to undertake human rights due diligence. Because of the limited information available about how companies are going about to conduct human rights due diligence BIICL and the global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright are working together to research this important area. Share LinksProject - Tags Human Rights Due…
Business and Human Rights