home
frankly speaking podcast

#54 Michael H. Posner: Views from the U.S. on the Future of Business and Human Rights

There's very little pressure being applied to companies by investors looking at how they're actually behaving and treating human rights as a core business priority. This needs to change.

In this Frankly Speaking episode, we welcome Professor Michael Posner, director of the Centre for Business and Human Rights at NYU Stern School of Business. He also served in the Obama administration as assistant secretary of State. Throughout his career, Mike has played a key role in establishing some of the major global initiatives on responsible business, including the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, the Fair Labor Association, and the Global Network Initiative, and he continues to be one of the leading voices on business and human rights in the United States.

You’ll hear more about:

  • How too much about business and human rights is still process, not outcome or performance.
  • Why companies must not abrogate responsibility
  • A strong call for standards on due diligence and said these are needed if there's going to be  genuine accountability for businesses on their conduct 
  • The difficult political situation in the United States at the moment and how to respond to the ESG backlash

Resources:

“I'm not interested if the only outcome of the European due diligence directive is that companies issue more reports, They have more people working in sustainability offices. They have more task forces. They do more evaluations. I want to know, are the workers in your supply chain being treated differently?”

Michael H. Posner in Frankly Speaking

You may also like these episodes

42:33

#85 Sandra Atler & Signe Lysgaard: Your Essential Guide to the New ESRS Sustainability Standards

What do the new revisions to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards actually mean for businesses, and how will they affect the EU's green transition? Listen to EFRAG TEG members Sandra Atler and Signe Lysgaard

39:54

#84 Akiko Sato: What Can We Learn from Japan’s Sustainability Journey?

What can traditional Japanese business practice teach us about corporate sustainability? Listen to Akiko Sato, Business and Human Rights Project Officer at the United Nations Development Programme and Special Adviser at the business and human rights NGO Pillar Two

33:52

#83 Chris Coulter & Mark Lee: Is Sustainability Facing An Existential Threat?

What is the future of sustainable business? Listen to Chris Coulter, CEO of Globescan and Mark Lee, Global Director of Thought Leadership at the SustainAbility Institute by ERM