Institute for Human Rights and Business

Institute for Human Rights and Business
Name	Institute for Human Rights and Business
Formation	2009
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	London
Region served	Global

Institute for Human Rights and Business The Institute for Human Rights and Business is a London-based non-governmental organization focused on corporate responsibility for human rights worldwide. The organization engages with multinational corporations, intergovernmental bodies, civil society, and financial institutions to advance implementation of international standards like the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and instruments associated with the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Founded amid debates following crises such as the Bhopal disaster and controversies involving Shell plc, the institute operates at the intersection of business practice, human rights litigation, and multilateral policy processes.

History

The institute was established in 2009 in the context of evolving post-Ruggie Principles debates and the expansion of corporate accountability dialogues involving actors such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Early activity paralleled initiatives like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and responses to events including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and labor disputes linked to companies such as Nike, Inc. and Walmart. Over time the institute convened stakeholders from entities like the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, European Commission, and led projects responding to legal developments including proposals similar to the French Duty of Vigilance Law and discussions at the International Criminal Court about corporate complicity.

Mission and Governance

The institute’s stated mission aligns with implementation of the United Nations Global Compact principles and seeks to translate instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights into business practice. Governance arrangements have involved boards and advisory panels comprising representatives from organizations such as Goldman Sachs, Unilever, BP, Oxfam, Global Reporting Initiative, and academic centers including Harvard Kennedy School and the University of Oxford. The institute has engaged former officials from bodies like the United Nations Secretariat, the European Court of Human Rights, and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office to guide policy and research priorities.

Programs and Initiatives

Programmatic work spans themes addressed by forums like the World Economic Forum and standards-setting groups such as the ISO. Initiatives have targeted sectors exemplified by Rio Tinto, Glencore, and Chevron Corporation, and have included toolkits for supply chain actors comparable to those advanced by Apple Inc. and IKEA. Projects have been run with partners such as International Organization for Migration, Save the Children, International Trade Union Confederation, and BusinessEurope, focusing on issues raised by events like the Rana Plaza collapse and the Syrian refugee crisis.

Research and Publications

The institute produces reports and guidance that reference frameworks from institutions like the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the World Bank Group. Publications have examined case studies involving corporations such as Rio Tinto Group, TotalEnergies, BHP, Cargill, and Samsung, assessing impacts similar to controversies around the Dakota Access Pipeline and litigation linked to the Alien Tort Statute. Academic engagement has connected the institute’s output to scholarship in journals associated with Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and research centers at Columbia University and Stanford University.

Advocacy and Partnerships

Advocacy strategies align with campaigns run by organizations like Transparency International, Global Witness, and Human Rights First, and engage diplomatic processes including negotiations at the United Nations General Assembly and forums like the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights. The institute partners with trade unions such as the International Trade Union Confederation, corporate networks like Business for Social Responsibility, and philanthropic funders linked to entities such as the Open Society Foundations and Ford Foundation to coordinate responses to crises involving companies like Bayer and Toyota Motor Corporation.

Funding and Accountability

Funding sources have included philanthropic foundations, corporate donors, and project-specific grants from institutions comparable to the European Commission and the Government of Norway. The institute has publicized governance safeguards to manage conflicts of interest when engaging with private sector contributors including Shell, ArcelorMittal, and Amazon (company), while aligning reporting practices with standards from AccountAbility and the Global Reporting Initiative. Accountability mechanisms reference oversight approaches used by bodies such as the Charity Commission for England and Wales and compliance expectations at the International Finance Corporation.

Category:Human rights organizations