Voices - Conversations on Business and Human Rights from Around the World

In this episode, IHRB's CEO, John Morrison, and colleague Haley St Dennis, discuss the state of just transitions in 2025, and the urgent need to tackle social, economic and environmental challenges as one, systemic challenge. John shares ideas for how to apply this thinking in practice.

The international architecture that underpins universal human rights is under attack. What does this mean for responsible business? IHRB's Salil Tripathi, speaks to Kenneth Roth, author, attorney and the former head of international organisation, Human Rights Watch. Ken and Salil discuss progress in corporate responsibility and accountability in recent decades, and what this might mean for the future of business and human rights.

Has the UK Modern Slavery Act introduced in 2015 been effective in eradicating modern slavery? IHRB's Head of Migrant Workers Programme, Neill Wilkins, speaks to from Eleanor Lyons, the UK's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. They discuss the effectiveness of the legislation; the importance of corporate accountability in the fight to end modern slavery; and the need for more robust measures to ensure greater transparency in supply chains.

IHRB Senior Advisor, Vicky Bowman, speaks to Karina Ufert from the European Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar. Against the backdrop of the EU's proposed ‘omnibus package' of sustainability directives, Karina shares how her organisation is helping companies with their human rights due diligence on the ground. Vicky also speaks to IHRB colleague Sarah Mostafa-Kamel to discuss similar work being done by IHRB's Gulf Sustain initiative, which is supporting responsible business practices and promoting worker welfare across the Arab Gulf States.

The adoption of the UNGPs in 2011 was a seminal moment and acknowledgement of the influence of business on people's rights. In the years that have passed since then, what have we learned about whether and how companies can respect human rights while pursuing profits? To help answer this question IHRB's CEO, John Morrison, speaks to Mike Posner, a human rights lawyer, former Assistant Secretary of State under Hilary Clinton, and founder of the Center for Business and Human Rights at New York University.

IHRB's CEO, John Morrison, sits down with three colleagues, Salil Tripathi, Francesca Fairbairn, and Haley St. Dennis, to discuss a wide range of topics, from the backlash to DEI, to the value of international norms and standards, to how a second Trump term could impact just transitions.

The organisations and government bodies responsible for enforcement of labour rights in the UK are fragmented - as they are in many countries around the world. Could proposals to create a single labour enforcement body - a Fair Work Agency - help improve business compliance with labour laws? In this episode, Neill Wilkins (Head of IHRB's Migrant Workers Programme) delves into UK labour regulation with Joanne Young, CEO of the Association of Labour Providers (ALP).

40 years since the Bhopal gas disasters, which killed thousands and injured millions more, what have been the lessons for corporate accountability? IHRB's Salil Tripathi speaks to survivor, Tahira Sultan, as well as Dr Usha Ramanathan,  a human rights and legal scholar who has studied and worked on the Bhopal case extensively.

What is a JETP and why is it so important to the just transition agenda? And what can we learn from South Africa's JETP progress? IHRB's Haley St Dennis talks to Yuri Ramkissoon from South Africa's Presidential Climate Commission, who is deeply involved in South Africa's JETP. Together, they unpack the JETP and explores how this form of climate finance is supporting a just and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy.

What can we learn from real-world examples of transitions as they play out in countries at the centre of climate action, such as Brazil – home to the Amazon rainforest and host of COP30 in 2025? In this episode IHRB's Haley St Dennis is joined by Brazilian journalist Leonardo Sakamoto to discuss the human rights impacts of the Brazil's climate action.

Heidi is the former Vice President of the European Parliament and has also recently joined IHRB's International Advisory Council. 

This episode discusses a recent ruling in Florida that has found the company Chiquita liable for killings committed by a paramilitary group that was on the company's payroll in Colombia. It also explores the broader implications for businesses worldwide and the importance of adhering to international standards and codes of conduct when engaging private security companies.

IHRB's Head of Built Environment, Giulio Ferrini and host Deborah Sagoe have been speaking to people working on green transitions in cities around the world. They all share challenges and successes of green initiatives, from problems with ‘renovictions', to pioneering housing developments driven by the right to housing.

David Schilling from the Interfaith Centre on Corporate Responsibility discusses the history and evolution of ESG with author and ESG expert Vasuki Shastry and IHRB's Salil Tripathi. They discuss the role of ethical investors; the current backlash to ESG and the importance of regulatory frameworks in promoting responsible business practices.

In this episode, IHRB's Francesca Fairbairn talks to John Attenborough from Mission to Seafarers and Ian Ralby, an expert in maritime law, about the safety and security of seafarers during times of conflict. Listen for accounts from seafarers caught in attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea; insights into the complexities of maritime law that can leave seafarers vulnerable; and how shipping companies' response to attacks on their ships and crew has evolved over the years.

When a state announces snap military conscription, how might companies respond to protect its employees?In this episode, IHRB's Salil Tripathi and Vicky Bowman, explore the delicate balance companies must strike between compliance and resistance, and the creative strategies employed to protect their workforce. Salil is also joined by Nabi Abdullaev from Control Risks, a risk management consultant covering Russia.

In the rush for renewable energy, what are the impacts on Indigenous peoples?In this episode, IHRB's Frances House sits down with two human rights defenders, Robie ​Halip from ​the ​Philippines and Prabhin Shakya ​from Nepal. Robie is ​the ​coordinator of The ​Indigenous ​Peoples ​Major ​Group ​for ​Sustainable ​Development. Prabhin is convenor of Asia ​Indigenous ​Peoples ​Network ​in ​Extractive ​Industries ​and Energy and also the founder ​​of ​the ​Community ​Empowerment ​and ​Social ​Justice ​Network ​in ​Nepal.Robie and Prabhin share examples of renewable energy projects from Norway to Nepal and how Indigenous people have been directly affected. You'll also learn how the use of human rights conventions and concepts like Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) can protect rights through better engagement and partnerships between companies and Indigenous people, which are essential to help minimise social resistance to the green energy transition.

‘Measuring the environmental effects of war breaks new ground'Is it possible to rebuild Ukraine in a greener, fairer way and can this be done while the country is still immersed in war?Two years have now passed since Russia invaded Ukraine. Tens of thousands have been killed and the fighting has caused immense damage to the environment. A groundbreaking new report has catalogued the environmental damage and outlined the essential steps needed for a green recovery. In this episode, IHRB's CEO John Morrison sits down with Margot ​Wallström, who is co-chair of the group behind the report: the High-level Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of the War. Margot is also chair of IHRB's ​International ​Advisory ​Council, a ​former ​minister ​for ​foreign ​affairs in the Swedish government, and former Vice President of the European Commission.With the cost of environmental damage estimated to be 56 billion Euros, John and Margot discuss accountability; how environmental damage might now be viewed by international courts as a war crime; and the report's call for a green rebuild of Ukraine's infrastructure.The report's recommendations have the health and wellbeing of the Ukrainian people at its heart. Its findings will be of paramount interest to businesses looking to invest in the recovery of Ukraine.

This episode discusses the impacts of corporate activity on fishing communities in Kerala, and the imperative for businesses to listen to the voices of indigenous communities and take proactive remedial action when things go wrong.

2024 is a record year for elections. Across the globe nearly four billion people will be heading to the polls -  half the world's population.In the digital age, misinformation and disinformation can spread easily, with big implications for human rights. How can social media companies protect truth and mitigate these risks?To answer this question, IHRB's Salil Tripathi sits down with Priyanka Motaparthy, Director of the Armed Conflict, Counterterrorism, and Human Rights Project at Columbia Law School's Human Rights Institute, and Iain Levine, director on the human rights policy team at Meta.In this episode our guests discuss the importance of free speech, what constitutes hate speech, the difference between misinformation and disinformation, and the serious repercussions for elections in an era of ‘fake news', and what social media companies are doing to counter these issues.

”The UDHR is the heart and soul of the United Nations”The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is clear that "all organs of society" need to respect human rights, and Eleanor Roosevelt spoke about making these rights a reality "on the farm, in the factory and in the office".  As we mark 75 years of the UDHR, how has this foundation of human rights guided and improved the fulfilment of worker rights?In this episode of Voices, IHRB's CEO John Morrison sits down with Sharan Burrow, former General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, to get a trade unionist perspective on the UDHR's legacy to improve conditions for workers, in particular for women and marginalised groups, and how collective bargaining and freedom of association are still critical.

What is the phenomenon of ‘decoupling' and how is it affecting human rights and business? IHRB's Salil Tripathi, along with guests Vasuki Shastry and Isabel Hilton, unpack what ‘decoupling' is, whether it's just hot air, how it's more than an economic phenomenon, and why human rights practitioners should pay close attention.

How do you transform GCC economies to a new system that's both sustainable and takes into account the welfare of workers? IHRB's Tamara Juburi discusses this question with Tariq Al Olaimy, as well as the challenges and opportunities in this process, and how the role of finance can incentivise this change.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the countries where these materials are mined. Often the mining of these commodities isn't regulated, or regulation around this mining isn't enforced.  IHRB's Deborah Sagoe speaks to Francesca Fairbairn about her conversation with Dr Isokelo Munyuku Fama, a Doctor and human rights defender in the area of South Kivu Province in DRC, where a lot of mining takes place. They discuss the lack of adherence to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by companies working in the area and how South Kivu would welcome with open arms companies that adhere to these principles.

Hear from Ian Urbina, the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who has been reporting on environmental and human rights crimes on the high seas for many years. In this episode of Voices he talks to IHRB's Francesca Fairbairn about maritime human rights violations and what governments and companies can do to improve respect for human rights on the ocean.

‘We could build a future with shared prosperity'Migration has become a highly politicised issue. Yet labour mobility is hugely important to the future health of the global economy.  OECD countries are rapidly ageing and unfilled jobs cost the global economy 3 - 7 billion dollars every day.  At the same time, migration is one of the most powerful anti-poverty tools in the world today, with benefits from remittances - the money that migrant workers send back to their origin countries - far outstripping foreign aid.  Voices host Deborah Sagoe and Carmen Pedraza from IHRB's migrant workers programme, hear from Rebekah Smith, the Executive Director at Labour Mobility Partnerships.  Lamp is an organisation that believes in the power of movement to address some of the biggest issues we face in the global economy. Rebekah shares some startling statistics on the benefits that labour mobility brings to both origin and receiving countries.  She and Carmen also discuss the best ways to address these issues, given the major challenges that exist in current migration systems, and where as a migration community, we can help.   Rebekah will be appearing as the keynote speaker at The Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment.  To find out more head to: gfrr.org

In this episode of Voices, you will learn about one of the world's first corporate just transition strategies from Rachel McEwan, Chief Sustainability Officer at energy company SSE, who talks with IHRB's Haley St. Dennis about how SSE had to learn by doing.

In this episode of Voices, you'll meet Mark Taylor, an expert in human rights and business, and senior program manager with the Clooney Foundation of Justice's Docket Initiative. Mark talks with IHRB's Salil Tripathi about the risk of corporate complicity when operating in zones of conflict, as well as the need for greater company transparency, and more investigative power for civil society to hold complicit companies to account.

In this episode of Voices you will hear from Kenny Aderogba from Spaces for Change - a non profit organisation based in Lagos, Nigeria. Kenny talks with IHRB's Annabel Short about how her organisation is improving the city's built environment. Lagos is a megacity, with a population of 24 million. Two thirds of its inhabitants live in informal housing. Annabel discovers how Kenny's work with Spaces for Change is supporting the voices of marginalised people to be heard when it comes to decision making that affects their built environments. They discuss the impact of climate change on Lagos and the importance of building sustainable housing that's accessible to all.

April 24 marks the ten-years since the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh. What did we learn from this disaster about how businesses and governments can better protect the rights of workers? Salil and Sanchita examine the impacts of the disaster and consider the renewed action needed to stop a similar tragedy from happening again. You will also hear Salil speak to Nazma Akter, a former child worker, garment factory worker, labour organiser, and Director of AWAJ Foundation, which Nazma founded in 2003 to protect workers' rights in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector of Bangladesh.

In this episode you'll meet Peter Frankental, an expert in human rights and business, and the Economic Affairs Programme Director at Amnesty International UK. Having marked 25 years at Amnesty, Peter shares his reflections and lessons about attitudes of business towards human rights since the 90s.

Muetter is a project analyst at the Uyghur Transitional Justice Database (UTJD), based in Norway. The UTJD is an ongoing project that focuses on the registration of the disappeared and extrajudicially interned Uyghurs in East Turkistan. The UTJD project was founded by the Norwegian Uyghur Committee (NUC) in 2018; Muetter has served as the Head of Communications for the NUC, and as project analyst for the UTJD since 2020. Muetter's recent work at the UTJD has included testimony collection, data gathering, and data analysis, as well as authoring books and reports about the current Uyghur Genocide. Muetter is a master's student in International Human Rights Law at the Kent Law School, the University of Kent.Sources cited in this podcast include research by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (including “Uyghurs for sale: ‘Re-education', forced labour and surveillance beyond Xinjiang”) and the End Uyghur Forced Labour Coalition.

China has seen large-scale migration of workers from rural into urban areas. While the phenomenon of “left behind children” in rural areas has been widely reported, many children travel with their parents to cities. Given barriers to accessing public services that rest on a residency-status policy known as “hukou”, many of these migrant worker children are educated in privately-run migrant schools outside of the main public school system. A lack of investment means that these schools are often poorly constructed, with limited protection against excessive heat, cold, rain and air pollution. The students experience continuous disruption and turmoil: widespread school demolitions and closures take place as a combined result of government policy and rising land values. 

Adriano Nuvunga is a courageous anti-corruption activist from Mozambique who has played a leading role in building civil society institutions in Mozambique. At the Centre for Public Integrity, he raised many challenging questions about corruption in Mozambique. A keen critic of the extractive sector and how it affects political systems, he has been threatened personally but he continues to advocate for transparency and integrity.

Anton Mifsud-Bonnici is a Mediterranean-based independent business advocate. He specialises in ESG master strategy related to the low carbon energy transition. He is a thought leader on governance and an expert in stakeholder management and relationship building. He serves as a Commissioner overseeing the ongoing review of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights multi-stakeholder initiative. He has earlier worked with the UN and BP. He advises on peace making in Mozambique and gender fairness in Sierra Leone.

Egbert Wesselink is a historian by training and serves as Senior Advisor with PAX, the Dutch peace movement. Before joining PAX he worked at the Dutch parliament, as a teacher in a French Lycée d'État, as Human Rights officer with UNTAC, and as a Russia/Caucasus expert with the UNHCR. He has been deeply involved with civil society in Russia and continues to be so  today.At PAX, he leads the programme on Natural Resources, Conflict and Human Rights, focussing on the impacts of business enterprises on the rights and interests of communities in general and in Sudan, South Sudan, DRC and Colombia in particular. He has been actively involved in multi-stakeholder initiatives, including the Dutch Coal Dialogue and Bettercoal, and serves on the Steering Committee of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. His report Unpaid Debt instigated a Swedish war crimes investigation into the oil company Lundin Energy AB that led to the indictment of two executive managers and is expected to go to court in 2022. in Toronto on the sidelines of the Voluntary Principles Plenary Meeting in May, 

Mark Dickinson began his maritime career at age 16 and has been advocating for seafarers for several decades. He was instrumental in the original drafting of the Maritime Labour Convention, and leads the seafarers' representatives delegation at the STC in pushing for improvements to the convention.

In this Voices Podcast Neill Wilkins from IHRB talks to Spenser Bomholt Fain, Global Programme Manager at Quizrr a digital training platform which is used in the supply chains of a growing number of International Brands. Jump-to points: (1:00) What is Quizrr?(3:34) How does Quizrr work?(5:20) User centricity in Quizrr's work(6:00) Suppliers gain from Quizrr(9:00) Quizrr and Responsible Recruitment(11:00) Sectors covered by Quizrr  

Jump-to:(00:45) The case of labour rights in the apparel industry(1:30) What is Transparentem?(2:50) What does the Transparentum report cover?(4:35) Audits beyond the apparel industry(7:00)  Suppliers and their methods to conceal labour abuses(8:00) Why would workers lie during audits?(11:10) Concerning examples of recruitment agencies methods for extortion (15:30) Do legislations on supply chains impact audit practices?(18:40) Next steps for Transparentem

In this special episode of Voices, IHRB's Haley St. Dennis and John Morrison unpack the concept and study of dystopian and utopian thinking throughout history, in search of guidance for how to think about and tackle the climate crisis. Feeding into the discussion is Dr. Danilo Palazzo, an academic expert on the subject of utopias, who emphasises the usefulness of utopian thinking as a response to dystopian realities, particularly their value in crafting blue-sky solutions and forcing problem-solvers to think beyond present generations' needs. 

Jump-to points: (1:20) The importance of access to remedy for migrant workers (3:50) The creation of a Guidelines for remedy for migrant workers(7:10) The outline of the seven steps of the Guidelines (12:30) How to apply them?

Jump-to: (1:18) The trigger for the paper (3:25) Examples of digital platforms for the inclusion of migrant workers: EPS in Korea & eMigrate in India.(6:35) The need for collaboration from technology and the political will(11:00) How easy is it for migrant workers to access the digital tool?(13:50) The future impact of technology for the inclusion of migrant workers

Jump to: The Concept of the Guidebook (1:20)Who does the Guidebook address? (3:23)The responsibilities of the employers (5:35)Cultural sensitivity in communication (8:25)Tips for employers to develop cultural sensitivity (9:25)How to access the Guidebook? (16:50)

 Jump-to points:  (03:20) The work of Our Journey in Malaysia(4:40) The impact of the pandemic on migrant workers in Malaysia(07:00) The additional burden on women(8:44) The risks for businesses in the absence of effective enforcement of migrant workers' rights(12:00) The active role of businesses and what businesses should do to avoid unethical recruiting (24:45) The need to strengthen the collaboration between civil society and business 

PART I: #InvisibleHeroes Team(02:46) Why Singapore? (07:23) A pronged strategy: Social media + cultural fairs + employee engagement(09:34) Scaling migrant workers stories on social media(12:50) The power of cultural fairs in making human connection(16:04) Breaking down silo's across employees through mentoring(20:15) The importance of branding and messaging to tell stories effectively PART II: #NFTs Team(24:29) What are non-fungible tokens (NFTs)?(26:13) How to connect NFTs, art, and migrant workers(27:45) The disruptive potential of NFTs(29:55) Artists uptake of NFTs(33:36) Using NFTs to elevate migrants' stories (35:52) A London showcase - an arts and migrant hub

This Day of the Seafarer podcast brings together Andrew Stephens of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), and Simon Bennett of Swire Shipping to reflect on the ongoing maritime crew change crisis and wider human rights issues among the world's 1.6 million seafarers. In conversation with IHRB's Francesca Fairbairn, they discuss the impact on seafarers of being unable to disembark ships, sometimes for many months beyond the end of their contract, due to national government-imposed COVID port restrictions.

Emily Kenway is an activist and author who was involved with the establishment of the office of the UK and slavery, Commissioner, where she was responsible for private sector engagement and has also worked for a number of organisations focused on Labor rights in both the UK and abroad.Find out more about the book  

Chrik Poortman has chaired the CoST Board since 2011. In addition to his role with CoST, he is Senior Adviser at Transparency International, where he was Director of Global Programmes for the International Secretariat until 2010. Prior to TI, Chrik worked for the World Bank in many regions. Maria da Graça Prado is CoST's Senior Policy & Research Adviser. She is a legal professional whose experience has focused on construction and infrastructure, and has advised on contract management, compliance and dispute resolution. 

Know the Chain is a resource for companies and investors that ranks the 180 largest global ICT, food, and apparel companies on their efforts to address forced labour in their supply chains.