Human Rights Due Diligence: What, Why and How?

• 26 May 2023
• Farzana Aslam

Many thanks to Zebra Insights for giving me the platform and audience to talk about human rights due diligence in the financial services sector.

As asset managers and investors need to come to grips with and navigate the complexity of global regulatory developments that increasingly have extra-territorial reach, it is important to acknowledge that this sector has a critical role to play – not just in terms of compliance but in leading the charge by lobbying governments and regulators to mandate all companies to conduct environmental and human rights due diligence.

Recently, one of our financial industry clients in Asia hosted Farzana Aslam for an event where she shared her views on the topic of “Human Rights Due Diligence: What, Why, and How?”

Understanding and addressing human rights violations can be vital for businesses in preventing reputational damage, financial losses, and legal liabilities. From an investor’s point of view, it is essential to consider the concept of due diligence processes that identify both financial risks as well as those associated with people — such as human trafficking or modern slavery.

Farzana’s presentation widely explored why investors in Asia should pay close attention to global regulatory developments on this matter.

Farzana is a lawyer, leadership coach, and Principal Director of Kintillo, a Workplace Consultancy focused on bringing human rights into the world of business. She has been recently appointed as a Board Member to Blue Onion, a Hong Kong-based fintech company that promotes responsible investing for societal impact.