As the world comes to grips with the pandemic Covid-19, governments are acting in an uncoordinated manner and the international community is looking to companies to act responsibly. In this conversation with IHRB's Salil Tripathi, Antoine Bernard, who has headed the International Federation for Human Rights, known by its French acronym FIDH, and has examined the role of business with regard to human rights, speaks of the pressing need for companies to adhere to international standards.

The pandemic, he notes, comes at a time when business credibility has been tested severely, because globalisation has enabled companies to operate without clear rules regarding their responsibility. In situations of armed conflict or heightened tensions, for example, the dissemination of hate speech is enabled by technology, and groups and communities subject to attacks have few remedies available to safeguard their rights.