The Lawyers as Leaders series raises awareness of the legal issues associated with corporate sustainability and responds to the evolving role of business in society and of the lawyers that advise companies. The four separate training modules focus on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption, and feature prominent legal experts as well as general counsel who are leaders within their companies on sustainability issues.

This publication identifies a range of concrete actions that Governments and international organizations can undertake to better assist private-sector efforts to promote effective conflict-sensitive business practices.

Strong rule of law is essential as a foundation for economic and social development. The Framework seeks to advance the rule of law by engaging responsible business to support the building and strengthening of legal frameworks and accountable institutions – serving as a complement to, not substitute for, government action.

This flyer provides a brief introduction to the Action Platform for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. It includes the rationale for the Action Platform, intended outcomes and reasons for governments, businesses and civil society organizations to participate.  

This guide explores the role of the bond market – the largest asset class in the global financial markets – in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With US$ 6.7 trillion of annual issuance, bonds can provide a cheap, reliable and scalable source of capital for a variety of stakeholders involved in the implementation of Agenda 2030, including companies, governments, cities and public-private partnerships. SDG bonds also provide an answer to the lack of SDG investment opportunities for institutional investors. A diverse portfolio of SDG Bonds, including sovereign, municipal, corporate and project bonds across developed and emerging markets could fulfill mainstream investors’ growing demand for impact while matching their risk-return appetite. This publication is available in English and Spanish

Outlines ways in which business can help uphold children’s rights and support and promote their well-being during humanitarian crises. It highlights the urgency and need to reach children in humanitarian crises and outlines the positive and negative impacts of business on children. It also aims to inspire action and stimulate learning by providing examples of how business can support and advance children’s rights and well-being.

Addresses how businesses can operate responsibly in conflict-affected or fragile countries and weak governance zones to ensure that operations contribute to peace-building. Suggested best practices to help companies mitigate the risks of operating in conflict-affected environments are also explored.

Investors, governments, and other stakeholders are increasingly demanding that companies demonstrate sustainable strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This guide seeks to support companies looking to integrate the SDGs into their financial strategy and business model. A credible SDG strategy allows a company to clearly communicate its impact, facilitates easier access to the growing market for SDG financing, and connects investors with a pipeline of potential opportunities to address the SDG investment gap.  This publication is available in English and Spanish

Provides practical guidance and examples to in-house counsel in their emerging role as key change agents in advancing corporate sustainability issues within their respective organizations. The Guide seeks to raise the profile of General Counsel regarding the efforts they are making, and to inspire and encourage other General Counsel and Boards, senior executives and management of their respective organizations to take action and deliver long-term value.

The responsibility to comply with all applicable local, national, regional and international laws is a central tenet of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights. Yet sometimes local or national laws pose requirements that conflict with internationally recognized human rights, thereby making it difficult or impossible for business enterprises to meet their responsibility to respect human rights. The goal of this Good Practice Note is to provide business enterprises with a non-exhaustive set of good practices for addressing situations in which local or national laws appear to conflict with internationally recognized human rights.

Building on the original Guide for General Counsel on Corporate Sustainability published in 2015, Version 2.0 provides further guidance to General Counsel to ensure they are better placed and better equipped to drive change and deliver value to their organizations through an increased focus on corporate sustainability. Topics include: Corporate Sustainability and Business Integrity Corporate Sustainability and Business Integrity Human Rights and Supply Chain Due Diligence Corporate Sustainability and Grievance Mechanisms Challenges to Corporate Sustainability - Managing a Crisis Please fill out the form below to download the full guide.

Provides guidance on how to initiate and implement anti-corruption collective action initiatives while showcasing various examples from collective action projects worldwide.