It is a critical time for human rights in business. Let’s use Geneva to talk openly, honestly and with authenticity 🤝
So many people are feeling frustrated, disempowered. I'm hearing: “My job doesn’t feel purposeful anymore”, “I'm not sure how long I'll be in this role”, or “It is so hard!” 😔
Many of us are convening next week in Geneva for the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights
🇺🇳Here are six topics I want to talk about:
1️⃣ Mental health of business and human rights practitioners 💛
The field is tougher than it has ever been. Teams are stretched, doing more with less. Business competitiveness pressures are intense. People are losing jobs, being shifted around, or living with uncertainty about what comes next. They’re deeply committed to this work, yet many feel overwhelmed, undervalued, and close to burnout. What support do practitioners need so they can keep going?
2️⃣ Climate, human rights and the just transition 🌡️
Climate change is colliding with every salient human rights risk we deal with. We know this, but what more can we do? Also: companies are stalling on advancing a just transition. Helpful practices that once showed promise have slowed or stayed siloed. Pockets of progress exist, but they’re too isolated to drive real change. How do we take just transition from piecemeal to mainstream?
3️⃣ AI and human rights 🤖
AI is transforming how companies operate, and it’s reshaping the risks people face. We are talking about data centre energy use, job displacement and discrimination… These are important. But the implications run way deeper. How will AI reshape agency, accountability, and power dynamics? What are we overlooking?
4️⃣ Business pressures 📉
Across industries, businesses are feeling squeezed by markets, by investors, by politics, and by shifting expectations. These pressures shape decision-making in ways that ripple out to people in global value chains. How do we support companies to stay focused on people when business pressures may push in the opposite direction?
5️⃣ Geopolitics 🌍
We’re operating in a world in turmoil, where conflict, polarisation and national restrictions are closing down space for human rights. There are things we can’t say in some countries, and actions we can’t take in others. How do we navigate this landscape with authenticity?
6️⃣ The risk-based approach in the Omnibus 🔍
The EU CSDDD has become political, but the core point is simple: a risk-based approach helps companies focus on the most serious risks to people while creating clarity and predictability for business. It’s practical, defensible and makes business sense. What can companies do to feed this framing into political discussions?
We are in a crisis. I want to hear from you on these points. Will you be in Geneva? DM me if you want to meet!
✉️PS: Also really looking forward to that classical Fondue! Pic from last year with the team
