2018 United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights

Brief description of the presentation:
This snapshot sessions will be based on a forthcoming report compiled by four participants of our 2018 BHR Young Researchers Summit, titled Good Business: The Economic Case for Promoting Human Rights. The objective of this report is to offer a more nuanced, evidence-based assessment of the ‘business case’ for human rights. More specifically, the session engages with two clusters of arguments: The first cluster analyzes the costs and benefits associated with corporate abuse-related lawsuits, such as information-disclosure cost or reputational damage and it shows the effects of lawsuits on the share price of companies. The second cluster assesses the complex role of consumers and investors in driving responsible business behaviour as well as of new legislation that increases not least the demands of businesses towards each other.

Presentation objectives:
The session will discuss the arguments underscoring the growing evidence that respecting human rights is not only a moral imperative for business, but is increasingly turning into an economic necessity.