BSR Insight Articles About Conference
Nobel Laureate José Ramos-Horta on Fostering New Democracies
Julia Robinson, Communications Associate
In the wake of the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former president of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, wrote about the struggles of new democracies to move out of instability and into peaceful, solid statehood. Read more
Gross National Happiness: A New Business Model for Holistic Development
Celine Suarez, Manager, Advisory Services
In 1972, the king of Bhutan declared that national happiness would be prioritized over economic growth, and the country adopted Gross National Happiness (GNH) as the primary indicator of its citizens' quality of life. Since then, others—including the UN, which hosted a meeting in April to define a new economic paradigm based on well-being and happiness—have followed Bhutan's lead. According to the Columbia Earth Institute's World Happiness Report, despite major technological and economic developments in the United States, citizens have not reported increased happiness: Uncertainty and anxiety are high, social and economic inequalities have increased, and confidence in government is at an all-time low. Is happiness a quest for financial or material gain? Or is it a quest for equitable, sustainable development and personal peace? BSR will explore these questions in a Conference session with Isabel Sebastian, a Bhutan-based business and sustainability expert who is implementing a business model based on GNH. Join us to discuss how companies can rethink management models to deliver on happiness for all stakeholders. Read more
Human Rights Training: Who Needs It, What They Need to Know, and How It Should Work
Elissa Goldenberg, Associate, Advisory Services
Since the emergence of the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, companies have started to think about how to apply the principles in their day-to-day operations. An important component of this is ensuring that every person in the company understands what human rights are and how they relate to the company as a whole and to their individual responsibilities. Training and engaging employees on human rights—from line workers to the CEO—is an important step in embedding human rights in the corporate culture and influencing decision-making, both of which are key goals articulated in the Guiding Principles. Many companies face the same human rights issues, such as the rights to enjoy just and favorable work conditions, to exercise rights without discrimination, or to enjoy freedom of opinion and expression. But whether it's a companywide video, an interactive slide presentation, mandatory online quizzes, or a combination of several approaches, every company should choose the approach that fits best within its culture and existing training programs. This topic was the focus of discussion for BSR's Human Rights Working Group, which launched earlier this year. One takeaway from our conversation was that companies should take a hybrid approach to training that includes a basic, simple training for the entire company, as well as targeted, in-depth trainings for priority groups. Read more
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