home
frankly speaking podcast

#7 Théo Jaeckel: Downstream Due Diligence - Insights from a Multinational Telecoms Company

Listen to Théo Jaeckel, Ericsson’s Business and Human Rights Director.

Freedom of speech, right to privacy, state interference and misuse of surveillance equipment are just some of the major human rights impacts a telecom company such as Ericsson has to address. Frankly Speaking has invited Théo Jaekel, Ericsson’s Business and Human Rights Director, to share lessons learnt and his expectations for a new EU law on due diligence that is currently in the making. He claims that every company will become a tech company in the future facing some of these challenges. 

Key topics: 

  • How to do responsible business globally? 
  • What can telco companies do in terms of contractual mitigations and technical mitigations to avoid the misuse of data and surveillance equipment
  • The need for the EU mandatory due diligence law to raise the bar and set a level playing field.
  • No “business as usual” approach in high risk contexts, you have to have enhanced due diligence programs in place
  • What are the lessons for them to be learnt from the current major tech companies united in the Global Network Initiative on the misuse of technology human rights issues? 
  • The interconnectedness between human rights and environmental impacts

Listen in!

“The majority of companies don't have human rights due diligence processes in place. So there is clearly a need to raise the bar and make sure that there is a level playing field and not just a few companies who choose to act responsibly.”

Théo Jaeckel in Frankly Speaking

You may also like these episodes

42:30

#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.

31:52

#53 Robert McCorquodale: What Can ESG Investors Do to Respect Human Rights

Investors shouldn't just take companies' word for what they're doing; they should investigate what the companies are actually doing regarding human rights.

34:21

#52 Frederic Hans and Thomas Day: How Are Companies Faring in their Net Zero and Climate Action Efforts in 2024?

Germany's NewClimate Institute has produced the Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor report, evaluating the transparency and integrity of climate pledges of 51 major companies across different sectors and geographies.