International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility

Business and Human Rights 

Following the endorsement of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 2011, all corporations now have a set and direct responsibility to respect fundamental rights and human dignity.

The ICCSR contributes to the emerging Business and Human Rights movement through research and public engagement on global governance dynamics and people’s fundamental rights.

From a business and management perspective, our goal is to define the challenges of corporate responsibility towards human rights.

On the one hand, we contribute to the academic debate on the evolution of CSR theories towards a Business and Human Rights framework. On the other hand, we aim to inform the practitioners’ debate and co-create knowledge on the impacts of business activity on human dignity.

 Academic leads 

Dr Lara Bianchi

Professor Robert Caruana

Professor Mihaela Keleman

Dr Lee Matthews

Dr Judy Muthuri

 

A number of women working in garment factory in South East Asia

 Associated publications 

Journal articles

Decker Sparkes, J L, Matthews, L, Cardenas, D, Williams, C (2022). Worker-less Social Responsibility: How the proliferation of voluntary labour governance tools in seafood marginalise the workers they claim to protect. Marine Policy, 139

Barrientos, S., Bianchi, L. & Berman, C., (2019). Gender and Governance of Global Value Chains: promoting rights of women workers: Promoting rights of women workers. International Labour Review. 158, 4

Whelan, G. & Muthuri, J.N. (2017). Chinese State-Owned Enterprises and Human Rights: The Importance of National and Intra-Organizational Pressures. Business & Society, 56 (5): 738-781

 
Chapter in books

Caruana, R. (2018), "The Role of Discourse Analysis in Researching Severe Labour Exploitation", in Researching Forced Labour in the Global Economy Methodological Challenges and Advances, Oxford University Press.

 
Policy briefings

Zagelmeyer, S., Bianchi, L. & Shemberg, A. 2018. Non-state based non-judicial grievance mechanisms - An exploratory analysis. Commissioned report - UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Barrientos, S., Bianchi, L. & Berman, C. 2017. Women Workers in Global Supply Chains: Rights and Remedy. Briefing paper - The Global Development Institute, University of Manchester

 

Grants

UoN GCRF grant (£141K) 'I Am My Dignity': Women Voices in Developing A Moral Capability Assessment Tool (MCAT) for Fragile Contexts (PI: Dr Lara Bianchi, CI: Professor Mihaela Kelemen and Professor Robert Caruana, ICCSR, partners: Ateneo de Manila, August 2020-July 2021.

 
Media contributions

Bianchi, L. 2018. Concerted campaign helps women in Kenya’s flower industry get a better deal. The Conversation

Bianchi, L. 2018. Humanity in the spotlight: the investor’s responsibility. Policy@manchester

Bianchi, L. 2018. Gender inequalities and sexual harassment in global value chains. Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute

 

Futher information on the Business School Social Responsibility and Sustainability

Further information on UN Sustainable Development Goals

 

Research

two postgraduate students sitting at their computers having a discussion

PhD opportunities

Two male students sitting at a round table having a discussion with other students in the background

People

Students sat in a seminar room

 

 

International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility

Nottingham University Business School
Jubilee Campus
Wollaton Road
Nottingham NG8 1BB

Tel: +44 (0) 115 846 7854
Email: iccsr@nottingham.ac.uk