Geneva Center for Business and Human Rights

Advancing human rights in business requires real-world examples that not only inspire todays’ leaders, but also educate tomorrow’s decision-makers. 📢 We’re excited to share the latest case study in our series on business models that seek to align profits with human rights principles.   💎 Our new case study highlights HB Antwerp’s bold commitment to tackling exploitative practices in the diamond sector and reshaping an opaque supply chain. With a business model committed to radical transparency, enabled by vertical integration and innovative technology, HB is empowering local talent and advancing sustainable business in Botswana. HB's diamond cutting and polishing in Botswana breaks with the traditional practice of exporting raw diamonds for this processing step. This shift builds local expertise, creates jobs, and contributes to a more inclusive global economy, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.   🌍 We thank HB Antwerp and HB Botswana for their invaluable support of this research and also our sponsors who understand the importance of field research for assessing human rights impacts in business: UNSW Australian Human Rights Institute Zicklin Center for Governance & Business Ethics at The Wharton School Département fédéral des affaires étrangères DFAE   👉 Check out the full case study to learn how the HB Antwerp model could be leading the way for companies in the extractives sector to drive sustainable development!  https://lnkd.in/eYrjPzDJ Authors: Dorothee Baumann-Pauly & Justine Nolan Design: Justine Gaxotte   Geneva School of Economics and Management - UNIGE Shai de Toledo, Rafael Papismedov, Margaux Donckier #BizHumanRights #ResponsibleManagement #TechForGood #SupplyChainInnovation #SDGImpact

What’s coming up this spring for the Geneva Center for Business and Human Rights? 🌱 Check out our latest newsletter for an update: https://lnkd.in/edCbNMwW Here are some highlights: 💎 New open-access case study - Explore how HB Antwerp is reshaping the diamond supply chain to advance development in Botswana. A must-read for educators, researchers, and industry professionals! 📚 Expanded corporate training offers – Is your company looking to enhance the business and human rights skills of your team or a specific function? Reach out to explore tailored training solutions with us. 🤝 Upcoming events – We’ve got a series of online and in-person events lined up, and we’d love you to join us!   Stay connected and keep up with our latest work: https://lnkd.in/e78XWDSJ #bizhumanrights #corporatetraining #casestudy #responsibleeducation

How can business schools equip future leaders with the skills to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, such as addressing labor rights violations, aligning business practices with human rights standards, or operating responsibly in conflict zones? Join us for a webinar on experiential learning, organized in collaboration with the Global Business School Network (GBSN). We’ll explore how Business and Human Rights (BHR) Clinics serve as a groundbreaking pedagogical tool to train leadership skills. 💡 In these clinics, students collaborate with partner organizations on real-life business challenges, gaining hands-on experience in: ✔️ Understanding human rights as leadership challenges ✔️ Analyzing and solving complex issues ✔️ Managing projects and leading teams 🎙️ Speakers Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, Director, GCBHR, University of Geneva Berit Knaak, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, GCBHR, University of Geneva Charles Autheman, Consultant and Professor, HEC Paris 🗓️ When? 📅 Thursday, 30 January 🕗 2:00pm (Geneva) 📍 Location: Online (Zoom) 📌 Don’t miss this opportunity to explore new ways of preparing tomorrow’s leaders to integrate human rights into business practices. 👉 More information and registration: https://lnkd.in/eXK7QNra #BizHumanRights #ExperientialLearning #BHRClinic #ResponsibleEducation

✨ As we wrap up the year, our director, Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, shares her reflections on priorities in advancing Business and Human Rights. In her latest Quick Take, she highlights five key themes to focus on in 2025: 1️⃣ Impact Over Process: Measuring real outcomes for workers and communities. 2️⃣ Rigor: Applying in-depth analysis to address root causes and craft effective solutions. 3️⃣ Stakeholder Engagement: Building genuine, long-term partnerships for meaningful impact. 4️⃣ Sustainability: Integrating environmental and social goals for holistic progress. 5️⃣ Education: Preparing future leaders to tackle pressing human rights challenges. 👉 Explore the full Quick Take here:  https://lnkd.in/eSmfJWYw These insights remind us that while the challenges are complex, our collective efforts can create meaningful change. Let’s continue building a where business and respect for human rights go hand in hand. 🎄 Wishing our entire community a joyful holiday season and a bright start to the new year! NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights Geneva School of Economics and Management - UNIGE #BizHumanRights #HumanRights #ResponsibleEducation

🌍 International Human Rights Day: Advancing a Just Transition On this International Human Rights Day, our director, Prof. Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, is contributing to two key events at Building Bridges 2024, highlighting how human rights underpin successful climate strategies: 1️ Workshop: Navigating a Just Transition: Financial Sector Roadmap 🕒 14:00–15:30 📍 Geneva International Conference Center, Room E Organized by the International Labour Organization, this interactive session outlines a roadmap for integrating just transition principles into financial institutions’ strategies. Participants will explore how to balance environmental and social priorities in the shift to a low-carbon economy.   2️Panel: Just Transition Incorporating Human Rights into Climate Finance 🕓 16:00–17:00 📍 Geneva International Conference Center, Room C Part of the UNEP FI Global Roundtable, this panel examines practical approaches to embedding just transition principles into financial activities. Baumann-Pauly will share insights from her research on cobalt sourcing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A just transition requires equal prioritization of social and environmental sustainability, and financial institutions hold the keys to driving meaningful, systemic change. #HumanRightsDay #BizHumanRights #BuildingBridges2024 #GRT2024 #JustTransition

🗓️ 𝗢𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗖𝗕𝗛𝗥 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱! The half-day, in-person workshops are free of charge and open to UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein member companies only. These immersive function-specific training sessions will explore human rights due diligence from the perspective of a procurement professional. They will offer real-life examples of responsible purchasing practices, and scenario-based, interactive exercises tailored to the procurement function. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱? 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:  🇨🇭 𝟰 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 - 𝗭𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵: https://lnkd.in/dfPf-sAD 🇨🇭 𝟲 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 - 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗮: https://lnkd.in/dbhDexEQ Trainers: Dorothee Baumann-Pauly Serra Cremer Berit Knaak, Ph.D.

💡 Voluntary sustainability standards are a common tool for companies to start the integration of human rights into their core operations. Last week, our colleague Berit Knaak, Ph.D. contributed to a panel on this topic organized by Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales in Berlin. In a smart mix of voluntary and mandatory initiatives, the development of industry-specific standards is key for advancing human rights in business. They can help define clear expectations and create measurable accountability. Our research with NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights highlights criteria for stakeholder engagement and the complementarity of industry-specific standards to #HRDD: https://lnkd.in/eBDtM6cC Stakeholder engagement is key for developing industry standards. We appreciate the initiative of the German government to bring together key industry leaders across industries and representatives of global and local civil society organizations, the government, and academia to address human rights challenges with a focus on the automotive industry and the energy sector. #ResponsibleManagement #BizHumanRights #SectorDialogues Photo credit: Ralf Rühmeier

https://lnkd.in/ea2F-Nhm

✨ An inspiring morning at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Global Business School Network for Business and Human Rights Impact Community! Yesterday, prominent business and human rights scholars joined business leaders, representatives from international organizations, and civil society at the Université de Genève to exchange insights and strategies for advancing the integration of human rights into business education. We were deeply honored to welcome Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who delivered powerful remarks highlighting the urgent need to align business practices with human rights principles. The meeting focused on actionable strategies for integrating human rights into business school curricula, with diverse perspectives from esteemed speakers, including: Stephane Berthet, Ken McPhail, Jeff Vockrodt, Björn FASTERLING, Matthew Kilgarriff, Ron Popper, Prof. Dr. Katrin Muff, Hany Kamel, Said Elbanna, and Charles Autheman. Key topics explored: -         Leveraging new regulations to drive impactful change. -         Private sector advocacy as a force for human rights. -         Engaging students as future leaders and changemakers. -         Strengthening and expanding the global network. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to these discussions, and to Dorothee Baumann-Pauly and Michael Posner for their inspiring leadership in advancing this critical agenda. A special thanks to the Université de Genève audiovisual team, whose support was instrumental in making this event not only successful but memorable. Stay tuned for the event recording, which will be shared in the coming days! We are also grateful to GBSN, International Labour Organization, Département fédéral des affaires étrangères DFAE, Geneva School of Economics and Management - UNIGE, NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, Pascale Chavaz, Mathias Popee, Brice Chopin, Hélène Morlaix and all the GBSN for BHR research cluster leads: Charles Autheman, Lara Bianchi, Karin Buhmann, Dr. Sandy Chong, John Ferguson, Björn Fasterling, Berit Knaak, Ph.D., Yingru Li, and Stephen Park. We look forward to building on these actionable strategies to make human rights a cornerstone of business education worldwide! 🌍✨ #BizHumanRights #ResponsibleEducation #BusinessSchoolLeaders Photo credits: Fabien Scotti

🌟👋🎉 Five years of GCBHR! Today, we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Geneva Center for Business and Human Rights. We thank everyone that has supported us along the way. GCBHR Team: Dorothee Baumann-Pauly Berit Knaak, Ph.D. Pascale Chavaz Serra Cremer