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Global Business & Human Rights

Our Global Business & Human Rights blog features nuanced discussion regarding the responsibilities of multinational companies, governments and multilateral institutions towards sustainability, with a particular focus on international human rights.

As the United States Targets China's Human Rights Abuses, Companies Should Prepare for Stricter Due Diligence on Forced Labor
Blog July 20, 2020
As the United States Targets China's Human Rights Abuses, Companies Should Prepare for Stricter Due Diligence on Forced Labor
As the United States seeks to take more forceful action punishing China for its escalating human rights abuses against Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang autonomous region and the citizens of Hong Kong, international businesses whose supply chains intersect with China should be prepared for new legislation and regulatory enforcement that could result in penalties. Companies will need to take additional steps to ensure their due diligence processes account for potential human rights……
Toward a Credible and Universal Concept of Rights: How Racial Injustice in America Affects U.S. Human Rights Practices Abroad
Blog June 26, 2020
Toward a Credible and Universal Concept of Rights: How Racial Injustice in America Affects U.S. Human Rights Practices Abroad
The Murder of George Floyd on May 25th by a white Minneapolis police officer did not happen in a vacuum. It was not an aberration in an “otherwise functioning” justice system. Countless black men and women in America have suffered similar fates at the hands of a criminal justice apparatus that often sees black people as material threats before seeing them as human. Floyd's death is just the most recent symptom implicating a justice system in the United States that many experts and……
COVID-19 and Global Human Rights: Shifting Priorities for Governments, Civil Society, and Companies
Blog April 16, 2020
COVID-19 and Global Human Rights: Shifting Priorities for Governments, Civil Society, and Companies
The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most significant global public health crises since the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-20. The spread of the Coronavirus through every continent and major metropolis has led to unprecedented policy responses from governments both large and small. As a result, the human rights community is more closely scrutinizing the impact of these responses, while many company operations are more likely to overlap with the pandemic and evolving government policy in some……
Trump Administrations Proposed Prosecution of Pipeline Opponents: Weighing Human Rights Obligations and Congressional Support
Blog July 10, 2019
Trump Administrations Proposed Prosecution of Pipeline Opponents: Weighing Human Rights Obligations and Congressional Support
The Trump Administration is using the reauthorization of a pipeline safety statute as an opening to insert new provisions that would give U.S. authorities broader latitude to thwart and criminalize the activities of protestors opposing hydrocarbon pipeline projects.  The provision would apply to both existing pipelines and those that are under construction, with at least the partial intent of targeting large-scale protests that have encircled construction of oil transport infrastructure……
Companies Issue Statement Supporting Civic Freedoms and the Rule of Law
Blog January 03, 2019
Companies Issue Statement Supporting Civic Freedoms and the Rule of Law
Following the publication of a landmark report this September that makes the case for businesses to secure “the shared space” in which enterprises and civil society both operate, last month a group of eight leading organizations released a statement supporting civic freedoms, human rights defenders, and the rule of law. The statement, which is signed by companies including Unilever, Adidas and AngloAmerican, recognizes human rights defenders as “important partners in identifying risks or……
Five on Friday – Five Recent Developments that We've Been Watching Closely
Blog June 16, 2017
Five on Friday – Five Recent Developments that We've Been Watching Closely
It's Friday and time for another overview of developments in the field of business and human rights that we've been monitoring. This week's post includes: the announcement of a new corporate alliance intended to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace; the release of a paper by Professor John Ruggie on the development of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; and guidance from the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights on the human rights……
Five on Friday – Five Recent Developments that We've Been Watching Closely
Blog March 24, 2017
Five on Friday – Five Recent Developments that We've Been Watching Closely
It's Friday and time for another overview of developments in the field of business and human rights that we've been monitoring. This week's post includes: the European Parliaments adoption of a new conflict minerals regulation; the French Constitutional Councils review of the proposed duty of vigilance legislation; the dismissal of the Doe v. Nestle litigation; and the release of a new Corporate Accountability Index by Ranking Digital Rights…
Five on Friday – Five Recent Developments that We've Been Watching Closely
Blog August 12, 2016
Five on Friday – Five Recent Developments that We've Been Watching Closely
It's Friday and time for another overview of developments in the field of business and human rights that we've been monitoring. This week's post includes: a new report from the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression; reviews of the latest round of conflict minerals reports; corporate efforts to address the risks of sex and labor trafficking in connection with the Olympic Games…
Managing Users Rights Responsibly A Guide for Early-Stage Companies
Blog April 01, 2016
Managing Users Rights Responsibly A Guide for Early-Stage Companies
Ill be speaking this morning at RightsCon regarding a new guide for early-stage technology companies seeking to operate with respect for users rights to freedom of expression and privacy. I have worked to develop the guide with Vivek Krishnamurthy and Dalia Ritvo, friends and colleagues at the Cyberlaw Clinic, which is based at Harvard Universitys Berkman Center for Internet…
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ABOUT

Foley Hoag’s Global Business and Human Rights practice provides counsel to multinational companies, governments, and multilateral institutions regarding social, political, and environmental challenges.

Our advice to clients encompasses legal and reputational risk management with respect to human rights, including labor rights and the rights of indigenous peoples; the design and implementation of stakeholder engagement programs; and professional auditing services, ranging from due diligence desk-top analyses to on-the-ground human rights impact assessments and the monitoring of social, human rights, and environmental initiatives.

In addition, we provide clients with crisis management and mediation services with respect to disputes with impacted communities and stakeholder groups, ranging from indigenous peoples to non-governmental organizations.

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