Webinar: Investor Responsibility to Respect Human Rights

While investors have been engaging companies -- either individually or collectively -- on human rights issues since the early 1970s, a recent United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights report found that too many companies globally are ignoring their human rights responsibilities. The report noted that more investors are pressuring companies to manage human rights risks and prevent abuses, but this trend must continue if all business actors are to implement human rights due diligence in their own activities.

Like companies, investors have a responsibility to respect human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD's guidance on Responsible Business Conduct for Institutional Investors. This means, among other things, that investors should identify and address human rights risks and impacts in their investment portfolios, and use their leverage to influence investee companies to respect human rights.

The objective of this webinar is to discuss the investor responsibility to respect human rights and explore ways to ensure investors are fulfilling the expectations laid out by the UNGPs and the OECD. 

Barbara Bijelic of the OECD and Rachel Owens from Global Witness will join us as expert speakers for this discussion led by members of the Investor Alliance's Steering Committee. 

Missed the webinar? View the recording below.