Essex Business and Human Rights Project
Our expertise
The services provided by the Project are:
Research: The
Project will assist with the formulation research ideas and links with possible
funding sources. Projects envisaged include those via partnerships with other
universities, NGO's, inter-governmental organizations, etc.
Training: The
Project will offer short courses to lawyers, NGO's, businesses, and governments
on particular areas that call for dealing with areas requiring a specialist
focus
Consultancy: Members
of the Project have experience in the analysis of legal frameworks for
investment projects; in the structure of corporate governance; in suitable
accounting methods; and other areas of potential use for non-academic users
including NGOs, labour organizations, businesses, governments, and
inter-governmental organizations;
Assistance with litigation: The
Project participates in the formulation of amicus curae submissions; and in
background research for legal arguments in both domestic and foreign
jurisdictions.
Policy analysis:
The
Project is particularly interested in proactive approaches to human rights and
environmental problems raised by business. To that end members have been
involved in formulation of policies that can lead to improved codes of practice;
to amended legislation or regulation, improved contracts; and other alterations
designed to prevent problems arising.
Resources for teaching: The
human rights and environmental impacts of business forms an increasingly popular
topic for courses across a wide spectrum of disciplines. The Project provides
a resource centre for potentially relevant material of use in courses.
Student involvement: Students are invited to become involved in several
project activities. This includes research assistance; preparation of background
materials and arguments for litigation; work on particular issues of policy
leading to position papers.
Current projects: A sample of
projects in this area undertaken or planned by staff at the University of Essex
includes: balancing national and local human rights concerns in development
projects; corporate complicity in human rights abuses; regional human rights law
and multinational corporate accountability; commercial arbitration and human
rights; extraterritorial treaty obligations and their impact on companies;
project finance, development and human rights; unconscionable debt; resistance,
social movements and human rights pressure groups and their impacts on business
and management; the ethics and politics of carbon markets and carbon trading.
Assistance with the Essex academic programme
Providing staff and students with a forum for discussion of issues via seminars,
and opportunities to participate in background research for consultancy on a
broad range of topics.