Business and Human Rights Resource Centre

Who we are

We work with everyone to advance human rights in business and eradicate abuse.

We empower advocates

We amplify the voices of the vulnerable, and human rights advocates in civil society, media, companies, and governments.

• Our 18 Regional Researchers – located all over the world – go to local communities to understand the impacts of businesses on the ground, and regularly talk with businesspeople and government officials.
• We release briefings and analysis, synthesising the work of hundreds of advocates across the world and make recommendations for companies, governments, regions and sectors.

• We are the global hub for resources and guidance for action by business.

We strengthen corporate accountability…

We help communities and NGOs get companies to address human rights concerns, and provide companies an opportunity to present their response in full.

• We take up alleged abuse quickly and directly with companies. We’ve made over 3700 approaches to companies asking them to respond to specific human rights allegations. Our global response rate has grown to 73%.
• We systematically follow up on company responses, pursuing companies that fail to respond adequately to allegations of egregious abuse. See examples of our impact.
• Advocates and communities thank us for eliciting responses from companies. Companies thank us for providing them the opportunity to present their responses in full.

We build corporate transparency…

We track the human rights policy and performance of over 7000 companies in over 180 countries, making information publicly available. We engage with companies and governments to urge them to share information publicly.

• Our website is the only global business and human rights knowledge hub, delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news in eight languages. We receive over 235,000 visits to our site it every month. Website guide.
• Our free Weekly Update e-newsletter has over 18,000 subscribers around the world, including advocates, activists, businesspeople, governments, investors and the UN (Sign up / View archive).
• Our Company and Government Action Platforms reveal the policy and action of over 90 companies and 40 governments.

Our approach

• Focused on impact: We make a difference for vulnerable people and victims of abuse. We highlight the efforts and struggles of human rights advocates, and take up alleged abuse quickly and directly with companies.
• Collaborative: We seek to strengthen and support the broad business and human rights movement, cooperating with allies and partners around the world. We have a commitment to the global South, opening civic space, and supporting human rights defenders.
• Independent: We are independent of any government, religion, or political and economic interest. We do not accept donations from companies, company foundations or senior executives of corporations.
• Fair and Objective: We commit to represent fairly all sides of debates on business and human rights issues.  We highlight good practice as well as criticisms of companies’ impacts, and give companies a real opportunity to respond in full to allegations of abuse before we post them.
• Beyond the Headlines: we draw attention to under-the-radar cases and countries and forgotten victims, alongside those in the public eye. We highlight emerging debates and issues.

Who are we?

We are 13 trustees and 48 staff dedicated to advancing human rights in business and eradicating abuse.

Our 18 Regional Researchers are based in Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Myanmar, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, UK, Ukraine and USA. They are supported by our two offices in London and New York. Oversight is provided by our board of trustees which consists of former business people, human rights, development and environmental advocates and academics.