Voices - Conversations on Business and Human Rights from Around the World

When a state announces snap military conscription, how might companies respond to protect its employees?

In this episode, IHRB’s Salil Tripathi and Vicky Bowman, explore the delicate balance companies must strike between compliance and resistance, and the creative strategies employed to protect their workforce. Salil is also joined by Nabi Abdullaev from Control Risks, a risk management consultant covering Russia.

In the rush for renewable energy, what are the impacts on Indigenous peoples?

In this episode, IHRB’s Frances House sits down with two human rights defenders, Robie ​Halip from ​the ​Philippines and Prabindra Shakya ​from Nepal. Robie is ​the ​coordinator of The ​Indigenous ​Peoples ​Major ​Group ​for ​Sustainable ​Development. Prabin is convenor of Asia ​Indigenous ​Peoples ​Network ​in ​Extractive ​Industries ​and Energy and also the founder ​​of ​the ​Community ​Empowerment ​and ​Social ​Justice ​Network ​in ​Nepal.

Robie and Prabin share examples of renewable energy projects from Norway to Nepal and how Indigenous people have been directly affected. You’ll also learn how the use of human rights conventions and concepts like Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) can protect rights through better engagement and partnerships between companies and Indigenous people, which are essential to help minimise social resistance to the green energy transition.

IHRB’s Salil Tripathi sits down with renowned human rights scholar Usha Ramanathan to explore the balance of rights and responsibilities for both states and business.

They discuss everything from data, surveillance and privacy, to climate change, agriculture - and even space.  Usha offers a profound analysis of how businesses and states shape the lives of the vulnerable and shares her vision for a more equitable future, where human rights are not just recognised but respected.

‘Measuring the environmental effects of war breaks new ground’

Is it possible to rebuild Ukraine in a greener, fairer way and can this be done while the country is still immersed in war?

Two years have now passed since Russia invaded Ukraine. Tens of thousands have been killed and the fighting has caused immense damage to the environment. A groundbreaking new report has catalogued the environmental damage and outlined the essential steps needed for a green recovery. 

In this episode, IHRB’s CEO John Morrison sits down with Margot ​Wallström, who is co-chair of the group behind the report: the High-level Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of the War. Margot is also chair of IHRB's ​International ​Advisory ​Council, a ​former ​minister ​for ​foreign ​affairs in the Swedish government, and former Vice President of the European Commission.

With the cost of environmental damage estimated to be 56 billion Euros, John and Margot discuss accountability; how environmental damage might now be viewed by international courts as a war crime; and the report's call for a green rebuild of Ukraine’s infrastructure.

The report's recommendations have the health and wellbeing of the Ukrainian people at its heart. Its findings will be of paramount interest to businesses looking to invest in the recovery of Ukraine.

2024 is a record year for elections. Across the globe nearly four billion people will be heading to the polls -  half the world’s population.

In the digital age, misinformation and disinformation can spread easily, with big implications for human rights. How can social media companies protect truth and mitigate these risks?

To answer this question, IHRB’s Salil Tripathi sits down with Priyanka Motaparthy, Director of the Armed Conflict, Counterterrorism, and Human Rights Project at Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute, and Iain Levine, director on the human rights policy team at Meta.

In this episode our guests discuss the importance of free speech, what constitutes hate speech, the difference between misinformation and disinformation, and the serious repercussions for elections in an era of ‘fake news’, and what social media companies are doing to counter these issues.