Business and Human rights: Recent Developments and Comparative Lessons

In-person event

Given that human rights abuses-linked to businesses are on the rise rather than in decline, it is no surprise that ‘business and human rights’ remains a rapidly evolving research field. There are various national initiatives (e.g. the French loi de vigilance, one of the pioneer laws in this field, the new German Lieferkettengesetz or the currently ongoing review of the Modern Slavery Act in Australia). At the same time, there are various international initiatives (e.g. the UN Guiding principles or draft of a new binding treaty at the UN Human Rights Council) with different prospects for success. The talk will analyze the most recent developments on the different legal levels (national, regional and international) and draw comparative conclusions for the field of business and human rights. In doing so, the talk with focus on two distinct sub-questions: corporations’ human rights obligations vis-à-vis the environment as well as corporate human rights due diligence in areas of conflict.

About the speaker

Pierre Thielbörger is a Professor of Public Law and Public International Law at Ruhr University Bochum. He is also the Executive Director of the Institute for the International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Germany’s biggest research institute on armed conflicts and humanitarian crises. He serves as chairman of the General Assembly of the Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA), is co-convener of the Interest Group on Human Rights of the European Society of International Law (ESIL) and sits on the advisory board of the German Institute on Human Rights. He advises the German government on all matters concerning the United Nations as well as humanitarian action and is the co-editor of several peer-reviewed journals in international law. His research field is (business and) human rights, the law of peace and armed conflict, ICL and transitional justice, as well as environmental law and the law of the global commons (including water).

Tuesday 5 December 2023,

Time: 1-2pm AEDT

Venue: Level 4, Common Room, New Law Building (F10), Eastern Avenue, Camperdown campus

CPD Points: 1

This event is proudly presented by the Sydney Centre for International Law at The University of Sydney Law School.