Since our founding in 2002, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre has played a constructive role at the heart of the global business and human rights movement. Current conditions in this and the next decade encourage us to continue working for the advancement of human rights in societies and seizing opportunities and prospects to create conditions of shared security and shared prosperity.

In the next four years, we will support the movement for human rights in business to transform corporate behaviour through regulation, norms, and leadership, and help uphold the rights of those facing abuse.

Our vision and mission:

With partners and allies worldwide, we seek to put human rights at the heart of business to deliver a just economy, climate justice, and end abuse.

Our strategic goals:

Shared prosperity for society through new government action and corporate norms for transformed business models: The Resource Centre will promote new economic systems that put human rights at the centre of business and investment to achieve fair distribution of benefits.

Corporate duty of care for human rights and environmental justice: With emphasis on emerging economies and countries with high risk of human rights abuse, the Resource Centre will work towards a transformed normative and legal landscape that centres human rights in business through due diligence, elimination of perverse incentives for harm, and access to remedy. We will promote development of regulation and incentives that diminish inequality and harm to the environment, and boost shared prosperity.

Safe and enabling environment in which communities and workers can advocate for their rights and interests, including through free and fair negotiations: The Resource Centre will encourage robust implementation by government and business of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), freedom of association, responsible business conduct, zero tolerance for attacks against human rights defenders, and commitment to gender and racial justice. The Resource Centre will encourage government insistence on adherence to international business standards to avoid companies facilitating conflicts and to combat oppression.

Our priority programmes

• The rights of workers in global supply chains
• The rights of communities seeking responsible natural resource use and a just energy transition
• The rights of people to accountable digital technologies
• The rights of human rights defenders protected from attack and restrictions

In addition to these four priority programmes, there are two cross-cutting themes:

• Access to corporate legal accountability
• Promotion of gender and racial justice