4.0

credits

Average Course Rating

This course will examine the complexities of transnational and cross-political business practices and strengthen students’ understanding of the fast-developing field of business and human rights, corporate risk and sustainability. The class will examine seminal cases which lead to the development of voluntary global standards and will explore the new regulatory framework being created to protect stakeholders and hold corporations accountable for negative impacts created by them through their goods and services. We will also be looking at contemporary human rights challenges against corporations and corporate executives based upon their alleged complicity in human rights violations such as companies doing business in fragile, corrupt or war-torn states. We will focus on the crucial role of the financial sector (investors), advocacy groups, and consumers in rewarding (and penalizing) businesses that do not take human rights and sustainability into account. The class will cover a few sectors that pose specific human rights challenges in the business environment, namely: the apparel industry, agriculture, extractives, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).