Our specialist Business and Human Rights team supports clients in navigating complex human rights issues arising across global business operations, activities and supply chains.
We recognise the opportunities for organisations that meaningfully demonstrate respect for human rights. Our team also understands the multifaceted legal, financial and reputational challenges that can arise in the context of human rights issues, especially in today’s dynamic ESG landscape.
In order to achieve meaningful outcomes for businesses when tackling these risks, we use market-leading cross‑disciplinary teams, with experts in crisis management, investigations, governance, risk mitigation, and dispute resolution. Our team balances commercial and best practice advice with existing human rights frameworks to manage and avoid adverse human rights impacts.
We regularly advise clients on global and international human rights laws, standards and guidelines, human rights disclosures and due diligence, engagement with regulators, remediation of human rights incidences, and grievance management.
Our team covers the field including with respect to Modern Slavery, Anti Bribery and Corruption, Responsible Business and Climate & ESG.
Our Business and Human Rights team can help you to:
- Incorporate human rights considerations into corporate governance frameworks, compliance policies and procedures
- Prepare human rights disclosures and advise on human rights commitments
- Prepare modern slavery statements in compliance with mandatory reporting criteria
- Conduct due diligence for proposed business activities, investments and transactions
- Manage human rights risks in proposed business activities and relationships, including via due diligence frameworks and contractual clauses
- Navigate global mandatory human rights due diligence regimes, including sanctions and modern slavery regimes
- Analyse modern slavery risk assessments to identify sector, product/service, geographic and supplier risks
- Respond to regulatory investigations or enquiries concerning human rights incidents
- Manage the risk of litigation, liability and reputational harm, including via strategic advice in connection with activism and human rights complaints
- Implement remediation of human rights incidents within appropriate legal frameworks
- Deliver tailored modern slavery and human rights training for senior leadership, teams across your organisation, and suppliers
Market highlights:
- Listed retailer: advising on a remediation framework and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights aligned response to instances of modern slavery identified in overseas supply chains
- ASX listed company: on litigation risks arising from a human rights grievance by First Nations peoples, including on issues of cultural heritage and free, prior and informed consent
- Cross-sector clients: assisting Australian and overseas clients across a range of sectors to prepare modern slavery statements in compliance with mandatory reporting criteria
- ASX listed company: on 'bluewashing’ risks arising from public disclosures and commitments
- Renewable energy companies: advising on management of modern slavery risks in solar PV and wind turbine component supply chains
- Global investment banks and private equity investors: conducting due diligence and advising on contractual arrangements in respect of bribery, corruption and modern slavery risks
- NGO: advising on international and national legal frameworks to combat human trafficking and forced labour in Australia, the UK, USA and multiple jurisdictions across Asia
- Communications company: advising on modern slavery and human rights due diligence reporting requirements globally and coordinating across jurisdictions
- Renewable energy company: advising on cross-border sanctions, national security, and data protection laws in connection to potential human rights due diligence in higher risk jurisdiction
- ASX listed company:advising on business-critical native title and heritage matters relating to its operations, including consideration of heritage issues, social value commitments and governance, benefits management structures, native title compensation, Indigenous heritage law reform and native title law reform
- UNICEF: advising on international children’s rights to effectively participate in justice proceedings in a language they fully understand, with a focus on the East Asia and Pacific region
- UNICEF: advising on the development of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in international law
