home
frankly speaking podcast

#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

You may also like these episodes

36:39

#29 Filip Gregor: European Sustainability Reporting Standards for business. What’s new and what to do now?

Listen to Filip Gregor, member of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards Board of EFRAG and Head of Responsible Companies Section at Frank Bold.

36:58

#28 Allan Jorgensen: What the OECD Guidelines update means for responsible business

Listen to Allan Jorgensen, Head of the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct.

34:36

#27 David Vermijs: Last chance to influence EU Sustainability Reporting Standards

Listen to David Vermijs, Director of Business Engagement at Shift