There are no prerequisites, but consider:
No prerequisites required except for interest in
OPEN TO IE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE FOLLOWING DEGREES (SINGLE AND DUAL): OPEN TO ALL PROGRAMS
Is a company’s only responsibility to generate profits for its shareholders? Is compliance with international human rights standards a responsibility exclusive to states? And can investors be complicit in investee companies’ human rights violations? While historically the world viewed the role of companies and investors mainly as profit-generating, today’s businesses face additional expectations. They are required to respect human rights, be “sustainable”, implement “ESG measures” and demonstrate “responsible business conduct”.
Starting with the adoption of the UN General Principles in 2011, businesses have increasingly become subject to national and international obligations to comply with human rights. National jurisdictions such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom have already introduced laws requiring companies to adhere to certain human rights standards. And other responsibilities are forthcoming: The European Commission has accepted a proposal for a Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence, imposing even stricter requirements on companies. In the last couple of decades, business and human rights has emerged into a separate practice and study. There is an unprecedent demand for lawyers and advisors to support companies and investors in implementing human rights standards, identifying adverse impacts and addressing such impacts.
This elective course prepares students to advise businesses on these and more issues. It will look at how business and human rights standards have changed the way companies do business, which risks they need to look out for and why it is in fact in their interest to respect human rights in their operations. To this end, we will examine the concept of corporate social responsibility, the role of investors, international and national business and human rights legislation and their relevance in a few, selected areas.
As the course aims to focus on the practical aspect of how legal professionals work in this area, it will also introduce students to the concepts of human rights due diligence and human rights impact assessments.
1.-To provide students with a basic understanding of the historical background and today’s relevance of business and human rights. -To understand the concept of corporate social responsibility.
2. -To gain an overview of the international, regional and national laws with respect to business and human rights.
3.- To understand the practical steps required to deliver business and human rights related products to clients.
4. -To be able to understand the opportunities for investors to make a positive impact.
5. -To understand the relevance of business and human rights in related areas, such as tfinance, armed conflict.
6. -To understand the challenges of corporate justice and what remedies are available to victims of human rights violations.
