OxBHR Hybrid Seminar: The synergy between BHR & CSR. Can Sen's Capability Approach complete the jigsaw puzzle?
Eirini Koutsoukou, a PhD Candidate in the academic programme “International Law, Ethics & Economics for Sustainable Development-LEES’’ (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Notes & Changes
This event will be hybrid, taking place in-person in the Gilly Leventis Meeting Room at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights and online via Zoom. Please register through the link provided above for online attendance. For in-person attendees, a light lunch will be provided.
Abstract:
The Capability Approach, pioneered by Amartya Sen, has emerged as a promising framework for assessing corporate behavior, particularly within the disciplines of Business and Human Rights (BHR) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This presentation explores the evolving application of Sen's Capability Approach within the business domain, elucidating how it can serve as a common language between BHR and CSR. Traditionally associated with vertical relations, i.e. States-to-individuals, we will see how extending the Capability Approach to the business domain can empower corporations to adopt responsible business practices. Advocating for the synergy between BHR and CSR, we claim that the Capability Approach promotes individual well-being (BHR) while also contributing to broader social justice objectives (CSR). Therefore it serves as a missing piece that completes the BHR and CSR’s ‘responsible corporate conduct’ puzzle.
About the presenter:
Eirini Koutsoukou is a PhD Candidate in the academic programme “International Law, Ethics & Economics for Sustainable Development-LEES’’ (Università degli Studi di Milano). Eirini graduated from the Law School of Democritus University of Thrace (Greece) and has two LLMs in Public International Law (Democritus University of Thrace) and European Economic Law (University of Groningen). Her research interests include International Law, Business& Human Rights, Business Ethics and Sustainable Development.
The “LEES” academic programme is the first academic programme in Italy that strongly encourages its students in conducting interdisciplinary research. Her PhD project “Reshaping the Right to Health in a Post-Pandemic Era: The Role of Enterprises and the Health& Sustainability Nexus” aims at exploring how health, both as an individual human right and as a common good, should be prioritized by public and private actors. The aim of her project is to highlight that a responsible business conduct, interpreted from the BHR and CSR perspectives, should protect and respect health and sustainability because of their ‘moral value’. Her project is mainly based on the disciplines of BHR and CSR and how they should be equally aligned for the achievement of a healthy and sustainable development.
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About Oxford Business and Human Rights Network & Discussion Group
The Oxford Business and Human Rights Network (OxBHR) aims to provide a forum for critical and interdisciplinary debate on issues of business and human rights. We seek to bring together academics, civil society, businesses, and practitioners for the discussion of corporate accountability for human rights violations. We have organised events that have inter alia addressed important debates on corporate complicity in human rights violations; access to remedy for victims of business-related abuses; developments and challenges in the implementation of corporate respect for human rights; regulatory developments around the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the development of a binding treaty; emerging trend towards human rights due diligence; multi-stakeholder initiatives, disclosure and reporting mechanisms; and developments in (strategic) litigation against corporate (human rights) abuse. We aim to welcome theoretical, doctrinal, empirical, and policy-oriented contributions from all relevant disciplines, covering business and human rights issues across the world and industries. The OxBHR organises public events as well as invite-only meetings to discuss work in progress, draft papers, and grant proposals.
Ayako Hatano is the convenor of the Oxford Business and Human Rights Network & Discussion Group in the 2023/24 academic year. Professor Kate O’Regan is the academic supervisor of the OxBHR.
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