#36 Caroline Rees: Does Corporate Sustainability Reporting Really Make a Difference?

Listen to Caroline Rees, President and co-Founder of Shift, the leading center of expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

How can companies and investors be agents of change for human and social rights?

After a tribute to Professor John Ruggie’s work (author of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights), you’ll hear Richard Howitt and Caroline discuss:

The role of business in society and if the “business of business is business” theory has proven to provide social equality
Corporate Reporting as a critical driver of sustainability
The confusion between social rights and human rights in reporting
How can companies move towards a sustainable business model

“The jury is in. The ways in which we’ve constructed this capitalism have not led to a trickle down of benefits - they have in fact led to a growth in inequality.

Reporting is a critical driver of business respect for human rights. If you’re doing it right and treating it as more than a minimal compliance exercise, there shouldn’t be a tension between reporting and action. We need accountability – external reporting drives internal conversation and shines a light on egregious impacts on people’s dignity and equality.”

‍

Caroline Rees in Frankly Speaking