Business & Human Rights: Principles and Practices

50% Funding subsidy available for eligible applicants. Please contact jane.flanagan@tcd.ie for further information.

Programme Overview

Equip your organisation to compete with purpose and comply with the emerging body of Human Rights and Business regulatory frameworks.

Designed and delivered in collaboration between Trinity Executive Education, the Trinity Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) and the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights (GBI).

What does the programme offer you?

• An in-depth understanding of the evolving Business & Human Rights (BHR) standards and protocols
• A practical tool-box to prepare and equip your organisation to comply with BHR governance frameworks
• Business knowledge and skills to engage with stakeholders to embed BHR principles and practices in strategy, communications and operations
• Ability to accelerate the ESG performance of your organisation

Programme details

This course covers:

• An overview of the UN Guiding Principles and the increasingly important regulatory framework of the European Union and its implications for European and international businesses and their supply chains
• The case for embedding human rights in firm strategy, governance and operations (including case studies);
• Due Diligence as the cornerstone for BHR practice.
• Examining the firm and its practices and assessing risks in relation to Human Rights, including potential remedies
• The global context for human rights, including case studies and testimony on corporate malfeasance, human rights defenders and evolving BHR regulation
• Ireland’s developing National Action Plan.
• Core elements of purpose-driven systemic change and how these may be understood and deployed for BHR- related organisational initiatives. 

Who is this programme designed for?

• Middle and senior managers and board members of corporations and SMEs operating in Ireland, including firms in professional services, manufacturing, finance, ICT and related supplier industries
• Sustainability Managers, CSR Managers, Community Affairs Directors and Corporate Affairs Directors

Programme delivery

Six online sessions of 2.5 hours, delivered in partnership with the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights (GBI)

Programme Director:

Mary-Lee Rhodes

Mary Lee Rhodes (BA, MSc, MBA, PhD) is an Associate Professor of Public Management at Trinity College, Dublin. Her research is focused on complex public service systems and the dynamics of performance, value and impact. She is the co-Director of the Trinity Centre for Social Innovation and has expertise in research, consulting and management in the public and non-profit sectors along with extensive private sector experience in banking and ICT management.

Lecturers:

Benn Hogan

Benn is the Director of the GBI (The Global Business Initiative on Human Rights). His research on benchmarking business and human rights in Ireland has been published by the Trinity Centre for Social Innovation. He has previously worked with the World Bank, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the Institute for Security Studies (South Africa).

Ron Popper 

Ron is Chief Executive Officer at GBI. He leads the GBI team to maximise value for members, strengthen engagement with a wide range of stakeholders in different parts of the world, and ensure that the voice of business practitioners is heard at key events on the corporate responsibility to respect human rights.

Anita Ramasastry

Anita Ramasastry is Henry M. Jackson Professor of Law and the Director of the Sustainable International Development Graduate Program at the University of Washington School of Law and a visiting Research Fellow at Trinity Business School, Dublin. She is an expert in the fields of anti-corruption, commercial law, sustainable development and is one of the leading academics and a pioneer in the field of business and human rights. Anita serves as a Senior Advisor to the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights. 

Why undertake the programme for credits?

Micro-credentials are short flexible modules that lead to accreditation in the form of ECTS. For further general information about micro-credentials please click here.

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