BHR Unfiltered - Episode 7

BHR Unfiltered - Episode 7

Lene, Andrea and I try to unpack something that businesses really struggle with - responsible purchasing practices. When done right, a ‘win-win’ for supplier and buyer. But in today’s environment are we any closer to making sustained and mainstream progress on this? What does it take to move beyond engrained and cost-driven business models which not only pass on immediate risk and impact but also store it up for the future? So – responsible purchasing practices - the ‘holy grail’ of business and human rights? And whilst we have your attention, in episode 10 in a few weeks we will be responding to you! Got a burning question? an impulse? a challenge? - send it our way on Linked In and we may use it for our BHR Unfiltered- Hot Takes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com [https://rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

BHR Unfiltered - Episode 6

In episode 6 of BHR Unfiltered, Andrea, Rachel and Lene discuss what we can - or should - expect of companies and CEOs when it comes to advocacy for human rights and sustainability. Ever increasing expectation of companies and/or CEOs to take a stand on a variety of human rights related issues. Depending on the political agenda du jour, many companies have been out in front with visible and performative acts of support for or opposition against this and that– only to be caught out once the political winds change. But should we be surprised? Since the beginning of time, economic power has followed political power at any given time. Companies are important and oftentimes powerful societal actors. Instinctively it feels wrong that they just stay at the sidelines on some of the key issues facing the societies. But we have no reason assume that corporate advocacy will necessarily be on the side of human rights or broader societal interest. In the episode we unpack some of these dilemmas, and discuss how the UNGPs can provide companies (and stakeholders) with a framework to navigate taking a stand on issues linked to human rights– based on principled pragmatism and avoiding coming across as hypocritical weather wanes that bends according to the political winds of the day. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com [https://rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

BHR Unfiltered - Episode 5

Join us as Lene and Rachel try to help Andrea figure out approaches for how to have those hard conversations inside companies where there are risks of being involved in serious human rights abuses in conflict contexts. How do you get around internal blockages that are both human and structural? There is no magic formula, but the first step is to at least acknowledge that those internal blockages can exist, and building alliances internally may help identify pathways to get those human rights risks mentioned in a way that moves the company towards managing them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com [https://rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

BHR Unfiltered - Episode 4

Join Andrea, Lene and Rachel as we discuss the what, the why and the how of collaboration versus competition. In this episode we air our views on whether businesses need more guidance or whether anti-trust law is just being used as an excuse. We ponder whether companies in the US have any hope of collaborating and, if what sector a business is in determines how likely they are to collaborate. We ask if how much human nature -and specifically a ‘business mind-set’ - is to blame for the reticence we sometime see. Ultimately, we ask whether this year could be the year when we see real movement towards a collaboration first mindset. And if not, what’s the real reason why and what can we do about it? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com [https://rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

BHR Unfiltered - Episode 3

The wait is over!! In episode 3 of BHR Unfiltered, Andrea, Rachel and Lene discuss why corporate governance in the BHR space is to often a barrier rather than an enabler to effective management of human rights risks. “Fixing the short circuit in corporate governance: What does it take?” covers the importance of States providing appropriate regulatory frameworks, having corporate human rights policies that actually reflects the company’s risk profile, how the “tone from the top” determines whether human rights is effectively embedded across relevant functions, and the challenges of getting the voices of affected stakeholders into the ears of boards and senior management. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com [https://rachelcowburnwalden1.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]