Investor Responsibility

What do we do?

Investors can be directly linked to human rights and environmental risks through the business activities of portfolio companies. In response, authoritative global standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the recently updated OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises established that all companies, including investors, have a responsibility to respect human rights throughout their operations, business relationships, and value chains. Investors also have responsibilities for ensuring that portfolio companies respect human rights since where there are the most severe risks to people and the planet, there are material risks to business, including reputational harm, financial loss, operational disruptions, and legal liabilities.

How do we do it? 

The Investor Alliance seeks to raise awareness and understanding of the investor responsibility to respect human rights within the investment ecosystem. We do this by educating and building the capacity of institutional investors to respect human rights, developing practical guidance and tools, and supporting investors in their efforts to embed human rights consideration throughout investment decision-making and stewardship, including responsible divestment/exit. The Investor Alliance facilitates opportunities for investor-to-investor peer collaboration as well as collaboration with human rights experts and civil society organizations, including those that represent impacted rightsholders and other stakeholders who can support and inform investors in fulfilling their human rights responsibilities.