Member Portal

Scenario planning can inform today’s climate risk disclosures, build resilient business strategies, and present opportunities for bold action. Explore our new climate scenario narratives now.

Climate Change, Sustainable Futures Lab, Emerging Issues

July 2024: The exclusive quarterly member insights provides BSR members perspectives from our global team on sustainability issues and opportunities to help our member companies see a changing world more clearly.

Explore opportunities to engage with BSR and our global team of experts throughout your membership year.

Understanding the relationship between nature and biodiversity is key for any business when developing nature-based solutions. BSR unpacks the distinction between these two separate, yet related, concepts. 

Nature

This report is a practical resource for financial institutions and anyone seeking to engage them on reproductive and LGBTQI+ rights in the US context.

Human Rights, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, Financial Services

Learn about the implications of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and what this means for business leaders going forward.

Sustainability Reporting, Human Rights, Sustainable Futures Lab, Climate Change, Sustainability Management, Supply Chain, CSDDD

An overview of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, including an overview of the Directive and its requirements as well as a section for frequently asked questions.

Human Rights, Supply Chain, Sustainability Reporting, CSDDD

As the operating context for business constantly changes, strategies that do not consider the emerging future are already becoming obsolete. Scanning the horizon for new trends and disruptions can reveal opportunities for companies.

Financial Services, Sustainable Futures Lab

Intertwined climate and nature crises represent the greatest material global risks in both the short and long term. While business plays a fundamental role in the exploitation of nature, driving both direct and indirect impacts, it is also a key actor in reversing negative impacts.

Nature

There is a growing expectation for private sector action on deforestation by the investment community, seen in increasing investor interest and investment—including shareholder resolutions.

Nature

BSR’s new guide, funded by the Omidyar Network, is a practical resource for anyone seeking to engage with global technology companies on digital rights issues related to the development, deployment, and use of their products and services.

Technology, Human Rights

As companies progress at a slower pace than expected on energy efficiency and decarbonization, explore how business can address the tension between growth and sustainability targets.

Climate Change, Nature, Business Transformation

In response to regulation and consumer demand, Digital Product Passports are emerging as a means to enable end-to-end product traceability, provide detailed product information and enable circularity. This guide provides an overview of Digital Product Passports and the regulations driving their adoption as well as how to set up a DDP and best practices across key industries.

Consumer Products, Supply Chain, Industrials, Transport and Logistics

Based on interviews with member companies operating in the Transport and Logistics sector, BSR shares the 10 most relevant human rights impacts for such businesses.

Human Rights, Transport and Logistics

An overview of modern slavery, the relevant legislative trends and regulations, a brief analysis of responsible recruitment, and an introduction to BSR’s service offerings to address modern slavery. 

Human Rights

An overview of the EU Forced Labor Regulation, covering general scope, obligations for companies, and enforcement mechanisms.

Human Rights, Supply Chain

Updated: April 2024. A tool that identifies countries prone to conflict and high human rights risks, focused on conflict and fragile states/areas.

Human Rights

April 2024: The exclusive quarterly member insights provides BSR members perspectives from our global team on sustainability issues and opportunities to help our member companies see a changing world more clearly.

Insights+ provides insights and foresight that empower sustainability leaders to be strategic C-Suite advisors by identifying and analyzing emerging and cross-cutting sustainability issues, as well as supporting their efforts to achieve tangible progress toward a more just and sustainable world.

In the sixth edition of Insights+, the Human Rights, Climate, and Technology teams set out the latest developments in upcoming regulations, discuss the implications for how AI is utilized in business across industries, and spotlight key emerging issues.

Human Rights, Technology, Climate Change

This briefing provides an overview of business implications and recommended actions related to Myanmar’s military conscription law.

Human Rights

This is an introduction to sustainability reporting, including a high-level overview of the drivers, audiences, and benefits of reporting, as well as a mock-up of a sample voluntary sustainability report that demonstrates BSR’s principles for good sustainability reporting.

Sustainability Reporting, Business Transformation, Sustainability Management

BSR and the National Association of Corporate Directors are proud to present a primer on ESG for board directors to lay out the fundamental concepts of business and sustainability, discuss the board’s role in providing oversight, and address several key challenges and solutions. This primer is available as an exclusive benefit to NACD and BSR members.

Boards

January 2024: The exclusive quarterly member insights provides BSR members perspectives from our global team on sustainability issues and opportunities to help our member companies see a changing world more clearly.

In the realm of DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility), an increasingly paramount focus is on challenging and dismantling deeply ingrained systems rooted in colonialism, white supremacy, and racism. This involves the examination of historical and systemic injustices that perpetuated inequality and harmed marginalized communities. 

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

By recognizing systemic inequities within their structures and societies at large, organizations can proactively take steps to implement structural changes that dismantle barriers and foster a culture of equity and fairness.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Businesses assume a pivotal role in promoting equity, justice, and inclusivity. By actively supporting the LGBTIQ+ community, companies can contribute to positive change and protect the rights of their employees and customers.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Inclusive leadership is a powerful approach that transcends traditional notions of diversity and sets the stage for cultivating an exceptional work environment where every individual is recognized, respected, and embraced. BSR shares guidance on cultivating this approach.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives have become increasingly important in the corporate world. BSR discusses the significant benefits of such initiatives.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Belongingness represents a pinnacle in the evolution of inclusive organizational cultures, where the emphasis extends beyond diversity and inclusion efforts alone. BSR explores what this means in today's business landscape. 

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

In the context of DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessability), the terms accomplice, ally, and advocate represent different levels of engagement and commitment to supporting marginalized groups. BSR explores the nuances.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities extends beyond physical spaces and encompasses digital platforms. As organizations navigate evolving regulations and technical requirements, meeting these standards and accommodating diverse accessibility needs can pose significant challenges, requiring attention and strategic implementation.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Leading companies increasingly tie ESG/sustainability KPIs to performance measurement and compensation. BSR discusses ESG performance metrics and their business case, the landscape, and the risk of pushback.

Sustainability Management, Boards, Governance

The following worksheet has been compiled based on BSR’s Supplier Code of Conduct Review tool. The best practices listed are compiled based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as well as leading guidance from the Responsible Business Alliance.

Supply Chain, Human Rights

BSR shares its best practices for setting expectations of suppliers, including guidance for establishing policies, supplier codes of conduct, and supplier contracts. 

Supply Chain

Via a co-creation process in business activities related to climate action, companies can enable more effective climate solutions that address interconnected, systemic issues.

Climate Change, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Explore ASD's progress on its approach to action, deepening engagement with supply chain players, and scaling impact on the ground.

Supply Chain, Collaboration

The sustainable product claims space is rapidly evolving, governed by voluntary and mandatory frameworks as well as changes in consumer and retailer awareness and preferences. BSR shares its perspective on navigating sustainability claims.

Sustainability Management

COP28 sends a signal to the world: that the shift to a clean energy economy must and will come. BSR shares key takeaways for companies from the conference.

Climate Change, Nature, Energy and Extractives

Drawing on BSR’s expertise in incubating, designing, and facilitating collaborative initiatives, this report explores how business-led multi-stakeholder collaboration can help to advance the SDGs.

Collaboration

Exploring emerging issues through a Futures Wheel exercise can help your organization think through the varied, cascading, and sometimes surprising potential implications if an emerging issue of today were to become mainstream.

Sustainable Futures Lab, Emerging Issues

Insights+ provides insights and foresight that empower sustainability leaders to be strategic C-Suite advisors by identifying and analyzing emerging and cross-cutting sustainability issues, as well as supporting their efforts to achieve tangible progress toward a more just and sustainable world.

In the fifth edition of Insights+, the Climate Change team dives into the biggest topics at COP28: fossil fuel phase-out and the just transition, accountability for business commitments, the role of nature in achieving climate goals, and climate justice. Explore key recommendations for business leaders on how they can take action on these topics and what might be around the corner.

Climate Change, Nature

BSR’s Energy for a Just Transition collaboration explored the modern slavery risks associated with the energy transition and identified ways to address these risks.

Human Rights, Energy and Extractives, Collaboration

BSR's human rights impact assessment of the Lantern Program identifies and prioritizes human rights impacts and provides recommendations for action to address these impacts.

Human Rights, Technology

Explore 2023 polling research and recommendations in response to the ESG backlash in the US, with specific guidance on communications and terminology. This briefing introduces Freedom to Invest, a US campaign led by CERES rallying leaders across the business world to remind policymakers that the economy will be stronger and more resilient if businesses can make their own investment decisions.

ESG

International humanitarian law—which applies in situations of armed conflict and war—creates additional areas of heightened risk for companies operating in such contexts, necessitating a heightened level of due diligence. This short briefer provides an overview of these risks and actions to both prepare for and respond to crisis in a rights-respecting way.

Human Rights

What issues does the space industry need to address for its long-term viability? Explore the top strategic sustainability priorities for this industry.

Energy and Extractives

Focusing on considerations related to environmental, social impact, and governance, this brief expands upon the EU’s new rules on corporate sustainability disclosure.

Sustainability Reporting

Challenges, recommendations, and best practices related to human rights abuse and remedy.

Human Rights

This report identifies human rights issues associated with the growing importance of AI technology in healthcare and provides recommendations to companies on addressing these impacts.

Human Rights, Technology, Healthcare

October 2023: The exclusive quarterly member insights provides BSR members perspectives from our global team on sustainability issues and opportunities to help our member companies see a changing world more clearly.

A collection of resources by the founding members of Transform to Net Zero collaborative initiative: Maersk, Danone, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Natura &Co, Nike, Starbucks, Unilever, Wipro and EDF.

Climate Change

ESG, Financial Services

Insights+ provides insights and foresight that empower the CSO to be a strategic C-Suite advisor by crystallizing emerging and cross-cutting sustainability issues, enabling companies to elevate their strategic ambition and achieve tangible progress toward a more just and sustainable world.

In this fourth edition of the Insights+, the Future of Reporting team highlights the latest developments in sustainability reporting, explores the implications of these developments across specific business functions, and hints at what might be around the corner.

Sustainability Reporting, Human Rights, ESG, Financial Services, Business Transformation

This FAQ sets out BSR’s perspective on generative AI and its implications for ethics and human rights.

Human Rights, Technology

A dive into the potential and ongoing impacts of the EU's Force Labor Product Ban Proposal.

Human Rights

For companies designing and implementing a just, equitable and inclusive approach to net zero, the process is complex and requires difficult trade-offs. This guidance offers practical steps to help companies formulate a just transition plan.

Climate Change, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

This memo provides a brief overview of the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Azerbaijan, including background on the history of conflict and timeline of events, as well as resources and recommendations for response aligned with international human rights standards. This memo follows outreach by civil society alerting BSR to the crisis, the role of business, and potential connections to gross human rights violations. It includes information that companies might anticipate seeing in the media or hearing from civil society in the near term.

Human Rights

Transform to Net Zero created the Supplier Transformation Framework to help companies identify and improve their suppliers’ climate performance.

Climate Change, Supply Chain

This FAQ sets out the BSR perspective on new laws and regulations relevant for our work. The field of just and sustainable business is entering a new era where actions that have previously been voluntary are becoming mandatory. We believe it is essential that the spirit of the law is achieved as well as its letter, that compliance supports ambitious human rights policies and sustainability goals, and that regulatory requirements are used to help create a world in which all people can thrive on a healthy planet. 

Sustainability Management, Sustainability Reporting

AI is driving change within the extractives sector, potentially leading to major human rights impacts throughout company operations, from geologic risk analysis to workplace management.

Energy and Extractives, Human Rights

Financial institutions are increasingly using AI technologies, from reducing operational costs to delivering customer service. Yet this evolution may bring human rights risks—as well as opportunities—that companies can’t ignore.

Financial Services, Human Rights

Understanding the foundational and key attributes of establishing and managing a responsible supply chain.

Supply Chain, Technology

June 2023: The exclusive quarterly member insights provides BSR members perspectives from our global team on sustainability issues and opportunities to help our member companies see a changing world more clearly.

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic, increased scrutiny of corporations and organizations' internal DEI practices, and civil and financial unrest around the globe, there has been a substantial increase in organizations seeking out guidance on how to build a strong culture of inclusion and belonging.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Unconscious biases, though a normal cognitive process, play a significant role in shaping our decisions and actions without our conscious awareness. These biases are cognitive shortcuts that our brains use to condense vast amounts of information and make quick judgments. However, they can be rewritten through deliberate effort and awareness. It is essential for business leaders to recognize and mitigate these biases as they can have both negative and positive impacts on workplace dynamics and decision-making.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional, verbal or nonverbal slights or behaviors that can have a significant impact on individuals from marginalized or underrepresented groups. Identifying and addressing microaggressions can be challenging, as they can be subtle and rooted in deeply ingrained social dynamics. As business leaders, it is crucial to understand and address microaggressions within the workplace to foster an inclusive and respectful environment that maximizes the potential of all employees.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

The language of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is constantly evolving as society and the business community gain greater understanding of the imperative and overall impact of this topic. Commitment to DEIA work continues to be based on culture, time, region, and deepened understanding of the systemic inequities within internal and external ecosystems. While this is not an exhaustive guide to the language of DEIA, it provides a starting point for understanding the most commonly used terms and concepts.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

In today's dynamic business landscape, it is crucial for organizations to recognize and embrace the concept of intersectionality. Intersectionality acknowledges that individuals may experience discrimination or disadvantages based on a combination of multiple aspects of their identity, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, at the same time. This multifaceted understanding of identity is essential for creating truly inclusive policies and practices that address the unique challenges faced by diverse employees. Understanding how different aspects of identity intersect and influence experiences can be complex, especially when developing inclusive policies and practices.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Adopting inclusive language and fostering respectful communication has emerged as a critical imperative for organizations committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). However, navigating the complexities of inclusive language can sometimes be a source of confusion and concern for business leaders. They may grapple with the challenge of avoiding inadvertently exclusionary or offensive language while staying abreast of evolving terminologies associated with gender identity, disability, and other facets of diversity.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), also known as Employee Resource Networks or affinity groups, are typically voluntary, employee-led diversity and inclusion initiatives that are supported by an employing organization. ERGs are “organized on the basis of common identities, interests, or backgrounds with the goal of supporting employees by providing opportunities to network and create a more inclusive workplace.” Essentially, an ERG is a collective of employees who share a common identity factor, background, or interest. While many organizations organize their ERGs around traditional demographic factors, such as race, gender identity, or ability, some other growing factors are caregiver status, environmental sustainability interest, career level, and military status. According to current data, 90 percent of all Fortune 500 companies currently utilize ERGs in some form.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

A diversity statement is a concise and intentional description of a company or organization's values, beliefs, and commitments to how they define diversity. It begins with a clear vision of the value of diversity within the organization that includes the “why” diversity matters to the organization, the “who” this statement covers, and the “what” it brings to the organization's policies and practices. It is important that the organization’s commitment to diversity is the anchor point for the statement, regardless of how formal or informal the language used may be.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Harnessing the power of data-driven approaches to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is a paramount undertaking for organizations committed to cultivating inclusive and equitable environments. By employing robust data collection, rigorous analysis, and strategic utilization, businesses can navigate the complexities of diversity and inclusion with precision, purpose, and results. Through a comprehensive assessment of both quantitative and qualitative data, organizations gain invaluable insights to identify disparities, measure progress, and make well-informed decisions that drive transformative change.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

How to set issue-specific sustainability goals that are ambitious, achievable, and align with a high-growth or early-stage company’s overall strategy.

Technology, Sustainability Management

Updated, June 2023

Sustainability Management, Sustainability Reporting, Human Rights

How high-growth and early-stage companies can establish and maintain strong oversight of sustainability initiatives that also cut across many different components of the business.

Technology, Governance

This FAQ sets out the BSR perspective on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the workplace. We believe that business is one of many actors critical for the creation of a world in which everyone—regardless of identity or background—has the opportunity for equal participation in all aspects of life, has fair access to resources, and can be confident that systems are operating in ways that improve the quality of life for all, and not a select few.

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

How high-growth and early-stage companies, newer to sustainability, can better understand complex ESG ratings and identify the ones to prioritize.

Technology, Sustainability Reporting

Insights+ provides insights and foresight that empower the CSO to be a strategic C-Suite advisor by crystallizing emerging and cross-cutting sustainability issues, enabling companies to elevate their strategic ambition and achieve tangible progress toward a more just and sustainable world.

In the third edition, President and CEO Aron Cramer and Vice President, Human Rights Dunstan Allison-Hope dive into upcoming regulatory requirements concerning just and sustainable business and discuss how companies can stay focused on actions that will be considered credible, not merely compliant.

Sustainability Reporting, Sustainability Management

April 2023: This deck provides exclusive insights for BSR members. It shares our global teams’ perspective on sustainability issues and opportunities to help our member companies see a changing world more clearly.

This FAQ sets out BSR’s perspective on the governance and oversight of just and sustainable business at companies. We believe that engaged boards, empowered executive leadership, and clear roles and responsibilities throughout companies are essential for the creation of long-term value for investors and society.

Governance, Sustainability Management

This FAQ sets out the BSR perspective on stakeholder engagement. We believe that meaningful stakeholder engagement is an essential foundation for just and sustainable business and a core element of processes such as decision making, strategy development, materiality assessment, human rights due diligence, and reporting. Without meaningful stakeholder engagement, any approach to just and sustainable business would be constrained by a company’s self-interest and inward focus.

Sustainability Management

Explore human rights issues associated with the increased use of AI technology in the retail sector and recommendations to companies on how they can address the human rights impacts of AI in retail in BSR's new report.

Consumer Products, Human Rights, Technology

BSR’s Nature team dives into the Science-Based Targets for Nature and discusses how business can take immediate action if it is to keep pace with the market and mitigate nature-related risks before they become acute.  

Nature

A tool that helps companies review their human rights policies, structured around minimum requirements and leading practice.

Human Rights

Explore current trends and innovations in sustainable aviation fuel.

Climate Change, Transport and Logistics

Learn about green hydrogen, from the current state of play to recent trends and innovations.

Climate Change, Transport and Logistics

Electric vehicles continue to develop and replace engine vehicles running on fossil fuels. Explore current trends in the space and future opportunities.

Climate Change, Transport and Logistics

Overview and analysis of the current context and opportunities for carbon capture and storage.

Climate Change, Transport and Logistics

An overview of modern slavery, from emerging frameworks to company involvement through individual corporate and collective action.

Human Rights

Guidance on integrating sustainability management into existing corporate governance and operating model/organizational design.

Governance

A tool designed to assess grievance mechanisms against the eight “Effectiveness Criteria” in the UNGPs.

Human Rights

An overview and analysis of current trends in biofuels.

Climate Change, Industrials, Transport and Logistics

Guidance on design and implementation of human rights strategies and best practices from companies.

Human Rights

Guidance on the elements of human rights governance, featuring example structures and company insights.

Human Rights, Governance

Welcome to the first edition of Insights+, a new series that will provide in-depth analysis of emerging global economic and social issues that are fundamental to your sustainable business strategy. In each issue, we’ll answer questions on critical topics that will help guide your leadership to mitigate risks while creating strategic advantage.

We welcome your feedback. If you have follow-up questions on any of the topics covered, or would like to suggest issues for us to explore in upcoming editions, please feel free to contact us.

ESG

January 2023: This deck provides exclusive insights for BSR members. It shares our global teams’ perspective on sustainability issues and opportunities to help our member companies see a changing world more clearly.

Explore our survey on types of materiality approaches currently in use, periodicity and sources of assessments, and priority ESG issues now and in the future, based on responses from 13 key financial institutions.

Financial Services, ESG, Sustainability Management

This toolkit provides analytical and operational decision-making guidance for tech companies on navigating conflict-related issues.

Human Rights, Technology

This FAQ sets out the BSR perspective on net zero targets. We believe that setting science-based net-zero targets—and more importantly, taking ambitious action to achieve these targets—is core to the role that companies should play in helping achieve the Paris Agreement’s stretch target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Climate Change

This FAQ sets out the BSR perspective on the related concepts of materiality and salience. We believe that implementation of the key concepts described in this FAQ—such as double materiality, impact materiality, and salience—provide the foundation for more resilient business strategies, informed decision making by all stakeholders, and the realization of human rights in practice.

Sustainability Management, Sustainable Futures Lab