Human Rights Archives

Improving Human Wellbeing in the Coffee Supply Chain

Better data and social performance benchmarks are critical to achieving more sustainable and equitable value chains. Tom Adams and Madeline Copp of 60 Decibels discuss the need to listen to farmers directly and at scale in order to improve their livelihoods.

Agriculture, Business, Corporate Impact, Health, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models, Livelihoods and Jobs, Measuring Social Impact

August 29, 2023

Prevention is Better Than Cure: €450,000 to Tackle Child Labour in Fairtrade Cocoa Supply Chains

Fairtrade intensifies fight against cocoa child labor with a new program. Despite challenges, the €450,000 budget aims to generate additional income for co-ops, offer education grants, and support poverty-alleviating projects. Co-ops’ innovative proposals will be funded based on impact and scalability.

Agriculture, Business, Corporate Impact, Education, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models, Livelihoods and Jobs

July 19, 2023

What Loss and Damage Means for Human Rights and Your Business

Climate-driven Loss and Damage is bad for business and customers, but worst for the world’s economic backbone: women on the frontline of climate change. If their ability to manage climate change is not supported, business continuity stalls. Companies should support women, alongside civil society and policymakers, to foster a global economy that delivers for everyone.

Business, Climate & Environment, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Corporate Impact, Gender, Human Rights, Livelihoods and Jobs

July 6, 2023

Financial Inclusion for Displaced People, with Micol, UNHCR and Ricardo, IFC

Micol Pistelli (UNHCR) and Ricardo Martin Garcia Tafur (IFC) explain why financial inclusion is a problem for displaced people.

Finance and Investment, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models, Refugees and Migration

June 19, 2023

Supply Chain Contracts are Protecting Human Rights, with Sue, Patrick and Olivia

Social Impact Pioneers Sue Maslow, Patrick Miller and Olivia Windham Stewart – explain Supply Chain Contracts & Human Rights Due Diligence

Business, Corporate Impact, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models

May 23, 2023

Five Years On, Have Companies Improved on Respecting Human Rights?

The World Benchmarking Alliance recently published its 5th iteration of the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark. While companies have improved their scores on key human rights indicators, over a decade since the launch of the UNGPs and faced with upcoming due diligence legislation, big gaps remain and the pace of improvement needs to speed up. From five years of benchmarking data, we have gathered the following learnings that can help companies improve.

Human Rights

March 22, 2023

Gender-based violence is a work issue, with Jane and Craig

Social Impact Pioneers: Jane Pillinger and Craig Wilkinson are two of the most important thinkers and activators the world has in addressing harassment and gender-based abuse in and out of the workplace. Together they share their practical wisdom, for women and men, for individuals and organisations to help make it safe for everyone, everywhere.

Gender, Gender-Based Violence, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models

February 10, 2023

Four Essential Elements for the “Just” in “Just Transitions”

The concept of “just transition” – a whole-of-society approach to decarbonisation that respects human rights while promoting sustainable development, the eradication of poverty, and the creation of decent work and quality jobs – has come increasingly centre stage in national and international discussions on finance, energy, agriculture, and other key industrial transitions to net-zero.

Climate Justice, Corporate Impact, Human Rights

February 2, 2023

Seafood’s Social Justice Problem: How to Better Share the Benefits of Aquatic Foods

The pursuit of profit has left the global fish and seafood sector – the world’s fastest growing food-producing industry – in disarray. Facing unsustainable growth and undermined social justice, the sector must work to ensure the socioeconomic benefits of aquatic – or blue – foods are equitably unlocked for all.

Agriculture, Human Rights

January 18, 2023

Why Investing in Informal Women Workers is Critical to Maintaining Resilient Supply Chains

Over 60% of the world’s employed population make their living through informal work, with no access to formal contracts or protection. During shock events, these workers face immense hardship, receiving little or no support. Businesses, in partnership with NGOs like ActionAid, can address human rights risks and improve business continuity by investing in informal workers.

Gender, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models, Living Wages

January 18, 2023

NGO Advocacy with Chelsea Hodgkins, Oxfam America

How can civil society hold businesses and governments to account? This podcast examines the role of NGO advocacy and activism in pushing for better social and environmental outcomes.

Climate & Environment, Climate Justice, Human Rights, Social Enterprises

January 9, 2023

International Migrants Day: Why Access to Remedy is Crucial

Access to remedy is crucial to reduce vulnerability of migrant workers to modern slavery. To honour International Migrant’s Day, Anti-Slavery International’s explains the importance of access to remedy and what businesses can do for a migrant workforce, informed by our successful project aimed at migrant workers in Mauritius.

Human Rights, Refugees and Migration

December 18, 2022

The Unrecognised Intersections Between Climate Change and Modern Slavery

How climate change and modern slavery intersect, and why this intersection must be recognised by governments and businesses. The world cannot properly tackle climate change without including efforts to end modern slavery.

Climate Justice, Human Rights, Refugees and Migration

December 7, 2022

The Global Impact of War in Ukraine

Businesses responded to war in Ukraine by providing unprecedented support to people fleeing, but war is increasing food and energy prices, pushing families to the brink of survival elsewhere. Businesses must protect communities in their supply chains by preparing them to respond to disaster. In today’s globalised economy, this can benefit us all.

Conflict and Peace, Human Rights

June 1, 2022

Prioritising engaging with workers and other stakeholders for human rights

Ensuring corporate respect for human rights is fundamentally about people. To ensure that their actions to prevent and address human rights harm are effective, it is essential that companies engage with affected people and communities. Unfortunately, most companies are failing to undertake such stakeholder engagement.

Human Rights, Innovative Business Models, Partnerships

May 6, 2022

Race to the top: How we pushed supermarkets to take human rights seriously

From new gender policies to commitments on living wages, Oxfam have come a long way since they published its first supermarkets scorecard in 2018. Radhika Sarin explains what does the 2022 scorecard reveals and what more must be done.

Gender, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models

April 12, 2022

Six Actions Businesses Can Take To Reduce Negative Impacts of Purchasing Practices on Human Rights

As Human Rights Due Diligence becomes increasingly important for businesses, Oxfam’s Private Sector Human Rights Advisor, Monica Romis looks at how purchasing practices have direct implications on the human rights of workers, sharing some of Oxfam’s research and highlighting concrete steps business can take for a more equitable sharing of rights and responsibilities through the supply chain.

Global Goals, Governance and Transparency, Human Rights, Innovative Business Models

September 21, 2021

Examples from the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark COVID-19 study: How some companies are responding to the crisis in a meaningful way

The World Benchmarking Alliance’s COVID-19 and human rights study shows companies still have a long way to go when it comes to adequately managing the human rights risks and impacts of the global pandemic. However, there are positive examples of businesses prioritising the rights of their workers.

Global Goals, Health, Human Rights

May 4, 2021

Human Rights

Advancing Human Rights to Reduce Global Poverty