High demand for business and human rights training
A diverse and large group of students participated the first weekend of the “Business and Human Rights Course.”
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From September 12th to 15th, the Demokratibygging program hosted its highly anticipated Business and Human Rights course, focusing on the vital link between corporate practices and human rights.
This part-time autumn course aims to equip professionals and academics with the tools to navigate this complex and evolving landscape.
Enhanced learning
Organized by the Department of Comparative Politics in collaboration with the Rafto Foundation and the Institute for Human Rights and Business, the course draws participants eager to explore the global impacts of business on human rights.
Salil Tripathi is happy about the development of the course.
Salil Tripathi, who runs the Business and Human Rights course, explains that the course combines theory with practical strategies to tackle today’s challenges in business and human rights.
– It's wonderful to see participants from all over the world dedicating time to deepen their understanding of human rights, Tripathi says.
Tripathi further notes that the group’s diverse backgrounds enhance the learning, with participants teaching each other. Salil is also excited about including school teachers this year to help expand human rights education in schools.
Key Insights from the Weekend
The weekend sessions covered critical issues, from Mark Taylor’s exploration of expanding corporate liability in supply chains to Rae Lindsay’s lecture on the shift toward mandatory human rights due diligence, emphasizing the legal and ethical responsibilities now facing businesses.
Salil Tripathi rounded out the weekend with a case study on child labor, highlighting the real-world challenges of integrating human rights into corporate practices. Together, these insights offered a comprehensive view of the growing expectations on companies to uphold human rights across global operations.
– What’s stood out to me is the sheer depth and breadth of experience from the faculty. Hearing from such experts in a niche field like Business and Human Rights is rare and valuable, says Jordan Barnes, an australian student in this years course.
Jordan Barnes traveled all the way from Australia to participate in the course.
What’s Next?
This first weekend set the tone for exploring how businesses can align with global human rights norms while managing local challenges. The course blends theory with actionable insights, preparing participants to drive meaningful change in the corporate world.
As Salil Triphati noted, "Our goal is to advance human rights in business, and we’ve already seen changes in practices. We hope this year’s participants are equally inspired to create real impact."
Rae Lindsay had a lecture during the opening weekend.
The next session in early October will dive into human rights, sustainability, and ethical supply chains. This first weekend was a blast, and we’re excited for the remaining three!