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Bridgett Fisher

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Bridgett supports BSR’s Financial Services team on sustainable finance and impact investing, and she works at the intersection of finance and human rights.

Prior to joining BSR, Bridgett worked for over a decade as a securities regulatory attorney at the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. She handled a variety of compliance cases involving investment advisers, broker-dealers, and securities offerings. Bridgett is the Chair of the Washington State Bar Association, World Peace Through Law section.

Bridgett holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington, a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law, and an LL.M. in Sustainable International Development from the University of Washington School of Law.

Blog | Wednesday October 11, 2023

Responsible Business in Space

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In the present day, the space industry is at the cusp of unprecedented growth and transformation. What was once a realm of scientific inquiry and exploration has now evolved into a multitude of commercial activities, spanning technology, communication, manufacturing, resource extraction, habitat development, and leisure.

The allure of investment in this industry is undeniable. However, it has become increasingly important for businesses to anticipate sustainability issues and accountability within the space sector. This notion extends beyond the standard confines of business risk; it encompasses potential threats to the industry itself and, by extension, our planet.

In a concerted effort to discern the path forward, BSR engaged in dialogues with 16 distinguished leaders in the aerospace domain to produce BSR’s latest Report: Responsible Business in Space. Leaders interviewed included executive levels from VP through to CEO and board members, and covered companies in sectors ranging from launch providers, engineering services and space tourism. The report highlights strategic sustainability priorities for the industry. Key issues and opportunities were based around a forward-thinking definition of sustainability: what issues are crucial for the space industry to address for its long-term viability? The consultations also explored key barriers that inhibit the space industry's pace of action.

The findings are summarized in the report that we hope will serve as a starting place for companies. Key considerations include:

• Orbital Debris: The accumulation of defunct satellites and space debris poses significant risks to operational spacecraft and missions, demanding international cooperation and innovative debris removal solutions.
• Safety: As more players enter the space arena, the safety of astronauts, crew members, and the public is paramount. This requires consistency and rigor in safety protocols, regulatory compliance, and risk assessment across the industry.
• Climate: Space activities contribute to climate change through carbon emissions from launches and manufacturing. To mitigate these impacts, the industry must embrace cleaner technologies and sustainable practices.
• Talent & Talent Equity: Business would be well advised to promote diversity and equal opportunities in a traditionally male-dominated space industry. The opportunity for improved racial equity is also significant. Initiatives like scholarships, mentorship programs, and inclusive workplaces can break down barriers. 
• Sustainable Supply Chains: Sustainability should be integrated throughout the space industry's supply chain, with an emphasis on responsible sourcing, good governance, ethical labor practices, and waste reduction.

However, within these challenges lie key opportunities for business leaders. For example, the massive troves of satellite data present an immense potential for addressing global challenges, from climate change to disaster management. The innovative technologies developed for space habitation can also revolutionize life on Earth, promoting sustainability and efficiency. The power of storytelling remains a compelling and under-utilized inspiration for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) development.

Industry leaders acknowledged the hurdles impeding progress, including high development costs, guarded technology secrets, and the challenges for profitability. To tackle these challenges, the space industry can draw inspiration from other sectors. Collaborative safety practices, transparent disclosure standards unique to the industry, and climate mitigation strategies similar to those in other sectors can all be adapted to reduce risks and promote responsible practices.

The future of the commercial space industry holds immense promise, but it is not without significant challenges. By actively addressing these challenges, seizing opportunities, and fostering a culture of collaboration, business leaders can steer a course toward a more just and sustainable industry.

For further information, including how BSR can support you with navigating sustainable priorities in the Space industry, please contact the team.

Reports | Tuesday October 10, 2023

Responsible Business in Space

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In the present day, the space industry is at the cusp of unprecedented growth and transformation. What was once a realm of scientific inquiry and exploration has now evolved into a multitude of commercial activities, spanning technology, communication, manufacturing, resource extraction, habitat development, and leisure.

The allure of investment in this industry is undeniable. However, it has become increasingly important for businesses to anticipate sustainability issues and accountability within the space sector. This notion extends beyond the standard confines of business risk; it encompasses potential threats to the industry itself and, by extension, our planet.

In a concerted effort to discern the path forward, BSR engaged in dialogues with 16 distinguished leaders in the aerospace domain. Leaders interviewed included executive levels from VP through to CEO and board members, and they covered companies in sectors ranging from launch providers to engineering services and space tourism. The outcomes brought several strategic imperatives. Key issues and opportunities were based around a forward-thinking definition of sustainability and considered the pivotal challenges that require focus for the industry’s enduring viability.

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Julia Hunter

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Reports | Thursday October 5, 2023

AI and Human Rights in Healthcare

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The Healthcare sector is increasingly using AI, from health or clinical care, research and drug development, public health surveillance and monitoring, to health systems management. This report identifies human rights issues associated with the growing importance of AI technologies and provides recommendations to companies on addressing these impacts.

Blog | Wednesday October 4, 2023

Nine Ways to Mitigate Risk of Child Labor Across the Supply Chain

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Child labor is on the rise across the world, with increasing incidence in wealthier nations, challenging the common assumption that it is primarily an emerging economy concern. Workforce shortages, migration patterns (including the increasing presence of undocumented workers and their children) conflict, and weakening regulations around child labor—particularly in the US—are all contributing to the rising exploitation of underage workers in high-income countries. This is especially true for industries that rely on low-skilled and flexible labor, including manufacturing, agriculture, and automotives, among others.

In the US, the Department of Labor (US DOL) reported that child labor violations have increased by 70% since 2018. Instances of child labor violations have been uncovered both in the supply chains of agriculture and meat processing facilities in the US, as well as in front-of-house positions within fast food restaurants. Meanwhile, at least 10 states have passed laws to weaken child labor standards in the last two years—including extending working hours and eliminating work permits for teenagers. Migrant and undocumented children are among the most vulnerable: the U.S recently opened investigations into Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms for child labor violations alleging that contractors working for the companies hired migrant children. 

Children are increasingly used to fill labor gaps, with migrant and undocumented children particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Outside the US, Australian food companies are also facing allegations of breaking child labor laws, while a café reportedly hired 11-year-old children to address labor shortages. In Russia, there are movements to ease child labor laws and regulations to help the country fill workforce gaps left by the war with Ukraine, which has also exacerbated risks. 

Adverse Impacts of Child Labor

Child labor refers to work that is dangerous, excessive, or harmful to children, including mental and physical well-being. According to UNICEF, many child laborers are subjected to long working hours, hazardous working environments, physical injuries, and mental, emotional and developmental health impacts making even them more vulnerable to trafficking and abuse.

In addition to jeopardizing children’s health, safety and development, child labor can have long-term impacts on families and communities. According to the ILO, more than 25% of children aged 5 to 11 and over 33% of children aged 12 to 14 who are in child labor do not go to school. By disrupting or ending schooling, child labor limits future work and economic opportunities, increasing income inequality over generations.

Implications for Business 

Child labor is a violation of international human rights and labor rights laws and standards. Businesses that employ children or have child labor in their supply chains—including those in high-income countries—face reputational damage, compliance and legal risks. According to the US Labor Department, there has been an 87% increase in fines on employers in recent months, and companies across the country have been hit with $6.6 million in penalties for child labor violations. 

Companies must navigate a complex regulatory landscape, with differing approaches to regulations across regions—and within countries – as well as increased scrutiny to counter weakened protections. In the US, companies may be caught between conflicting State and Federal laws. Amidst weakening regulations at the State level, the US federal government has taken steps to intensify labor investigations. The USDA has responded by increasing efforts to combat child labor in the meatpacking industry, while the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) plays a crucial role in regulating and protecting workers' rights in these circumstances. Similarly, in Australia, the federal government has engaged in a new pledge to ‘stamp it out’ with similar calls in New Zealand.

While there are movements within some countries to reduce protection for children in the workforce, other countries and regions are taking a strong stance against child labor and requiring companies to eliminate the practice from their operations and supply chains.

In the United Kingdom, there have been calls from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Street Children in June 2023 to outlaw child labor entirely. In Canada, the House of Commons has passed a bill aimed at tackling forced and child labor; however, critics argue that corporations still find ways to evade meaningful accountability. At the regional level, the EU has adopted a zero-tolerance policy on child labor in its new trade agreements and has implemented an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child to further protect children's rights. At the global level, the ILO has set minimum age requirements for work and states that 15 years is the minimum age for work (13 for light work), while hazardous work is only permitted for individuals aged 18 or 16 under certain strict conditions.

Child labor also has long-term impacts that could make the operating environment for business more challenging in the future. In underregulated areas, procurement teams may find it difficult to determine whether possible new suppliers or business partners have child labor in their operations or their own supply chains, which could trigger new and emerging human rights and modern slavery reporting requirements. Additionally, by exacerbating existing social inequalities, child labor can reduce the earning potential of already disadvantaged groups, which can prompt the decline of a diverse and skilled workforce.

Online activities, not yet covered by child labor laws, further complicate the regulatory landscape for business. A new law in Illinois introduces the first protections in the US for Child Influencers, or children with large social media followings, entitling under-16s to a proportion of earnings from social media posts.

What can businesses do? 

• Adopt and implement clear corporate policies that prohibit the use of child labor and set out expectations for ethical business for suppliers and business partners.

• Conduct human rights due diligence to determine how certain factors may increase risks of child labor in their own operations or supply chains, including increased migration, economic downturns, and conflict. Companies in high-risk sectors can also conduct enhanced human rights due diligence and specific child rights risk assessments. 

• Engage suppliers by awareness-raising, training, and capacity building to prevent, identify and address child labor, including understanding the root causes. Companies should also train and monitor supplier subcontractors and recruitment agencies. 

• Provide decent work opportunities, including traineeships and apprenticeships, to young workers and adolescents while equipping them with relevant skills needed to prepare for the future workforce. 

• Collaborate with peers, industry, business across different sectors, and suppliers to jointly address systemic risks of child labor and other forms of modern slavery. The Global Business Coalition Against Human Trafficking (GBCAT), for example, aims to scale business action to prevent modern slavery, including child labor, through supplier capacity building, survivor empowerment and employment, leveraging technology solutions to fight human trafficking, and addressing the misuse of technology to facilitate crime.​ 

• Where possible, work with relevant stakeholders to advocate for strengthening legislation to protect against child labor violations.

• While companies should, at a minimum, comply with national laws and regulations, they should always adhere to the highest standard (as enshrined in international laws, standards, and regulations). 

• Publish and report risk assessment findings (including in operations and supply chains) to help increase industry transparency around risks and root causes and demonstrate actions that are being taken to prevent, identify and address child labor. 

• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to provide appropriate remediation where child labor is identified on a case-by-case basis. This also includes requiring suppliers to have a robust remediation plan. 

Debate and leadership are required to ensure child protections are fit for a changing world, and not to jeopardize tomorrow’s workforce for short-term gain. Contact us to understand how your company can lead within an increasingly complex and fragmented global human rights landscape. 

People

Rachel Fleishman

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Rachel leads BSR’s Consumer Sectors team in the US, focusing on topics related to business transformation. She helps companies across a range of consumer-facing industries leverage sustainability insights and tools to drive innovation, create impact and build resilience in the face of market turbulence and disruptive global trends.

For the past 20 years, Rachel has worked at the intersection of sustainability and innovation, business development, advocacy, and cross-sectoral partnerships in the US, Europe and Asia. She has held leadership positions at the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Hong Kong-based Climate Change Business Forum, and BASF. Rachel has advised the US and allied governments on the impacts of climate change on national security and has created sustainability crisis simulations for government, business and academic use.

Rachel has a BA from Tufts, a Masters in Public Policy from the School of Public Policy, University of Maryland and an MBA from Kellogg, Northwestern University.

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Olivia Hughes

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Olivia supports BSR’s Climate and Nature team by facilitating coordination across member initiatives, partner engagement, and high-impact convenings. She also provides analytical support for projects within BSR’s nature portfolio.

In addition, Olivia supports the Climate and Nature Integration Working Group, which helps companies across sectors develop roadmaps for integrating climate and nature strategies into a holistic, resilience-focused approach.

Prior to joining BSR, Olivia held government positions with the United States Secret Service, the Office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and the New York State Assembly.

Olivia has a BA in Political Science with minors in Public Policy and History from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Blog | Thursday September 28, 2023

BSR’s Climate Journey Toward Net Zero

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With 2030 quickly approaching, global climate commitments must move toward swift action to halve emissions and reach global 2050 net-zero goals. At BSR, we work with our membership network to deliver credible action to keep 1.5°C within reach, while also maximizing synergies with nature; human rights; and equity, inclusion, and justice.

While we focus on sustainability impact in all the work we do with our members, like all organizations, our day-to-day operations have an environmental impact. It is important we hold ourselves to the same standard we expect from members, and recognize this opportunity to share openly about our climate journey. We have therefore set a climate target for our organization and embarked on a journey to deliver on it. 

Our Climate Target

Using BSR’s 2021 GHG footprint as the baseline, BSR commits to: 

• A near-term (2030) target, to reduce total Scope 1 (own operations) Scope 2 (energy source) emissions by 50%, and our top emitting total Scope 3 (value chain) emissions by 42%. 

• A long-term (2040) target, to reduce total Scope 1&2 emissions by 90%, our total Scope 3 emissions by 90%, and to reach net-zero by neutralizing residual emissions with permanent removals. 

Starting in 2023, we are applying a carbon price to our Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and using the funds to invest in climate solutions that contribute to global net zero beyond our value chain. In 2023, we have decided to use the US Government Social Cost of Carbon as a reference. 

For more information on BSR’s GHG emissions data and climate targets, please visit Sustainability at BSR. 

Climate Goal Development Process 

We believe impactful work and a credible climate target and implementation plan go together. The SBTi Net Zero Standard is the most robust standard currently available, and although as a non-profit we cannot officially commit to the SBTi, we are committing to a target that follows SBTi’s guidance.

BSR’s climate goal and implementation plan are grounded in four key principles: 

1. A clear vision on transformative climate leadership. 

2. Learning from peers’ climate ambitions to ensure alignment with best practices. 

3. Aligning with the recommendations provided to BSR members and demonstrating a commitment to “walking the talk”. 

4. Leveraging the transformative power of BSR’s unique membership network model as a catalyst for broader change. 

BSR’s climate goal development process began with a comprehensive greenhouse gas footprint from an external expert. We then participated in one-to-one discussions on the learnings and challenges of developing a climate strategy with non-profit peers, and benchmarked industry counterparts and partners before forming and testing the feasibility of multiple climate goal options in alignment with the SBTi Net Zero Standard. The creation of the implementation plan included a review of our emissions data to understand BSR’s leverage to influence and reduce Scope 3 emissions, our largest source of emissions—largely due to our contractors and professional services use.

The whole process was validated by BSR’s internal experts, leadership team, and the CEO to ensure 1) internal operational and financial support and 2) alignment with business needs to continue our mission. 

Implementation and Beyond 

Climate commitments have true value when accompanied by a robust implementation plan with specific milestones. The delivery of our climate targets starts in 2023 and is supported by three timebound task forces: 

• Renewable energy, heating, and green offices: Propose strategies to reduce offices’ GHG footprint and engage staff in sustainable practices at the office—including green IT and waste reduction—both with considerations for the impact of home working. 

• Policy development: Include climate considerations in travel and contractor engagement policies to reduce emissions from two of our largest sources of Scope 3 emissions—business travel and purchased services. 

• Beyond value chain mitigation strategy: Develop and deliver BSR’s strategy to invest in climate solutions from now and define parameters for our long-term strategy to invest in carbon removals. 

A key aspect of our implementation plan is the use of the social cost of carbon to fund our investments in climate solutions that contribute to global net zero beyond our value chain. We hope that this unique approach can inspire others to ground climate investment estimations in amounts that reflect the real-world damage to people and the environment.

Although BSR is a small organization with a small GHG footprint on a global scale, we believe that our current climate goal will bring positive impact and help us take responsibility for our impact. In parallel, we are working on ways to activate the great potential for GHG emissions reduction with our members. 

BSR’s implementation plan consists of collaboration across departments, engagement with partners and BSR members, and continuous iteration. We have climate goal implementation taskforces involving different functional teams on climate action and will work with partners and BSR members to reduce GHG emissions together. While we are still figuring out how to address our main Scope 3 hotspots, such as our contracted services and partners and business travel, we are not waiting until we have a perfectly developed strategy to act. 

Leading by Example 

BSR acknowledges the ambitious nature of our net zero target. As a small organization, we have limited leverage on our Scope 3, and do not have all the solutions now nor the resources of the large companies with which we work. However, we remain steadfast in our commitment to playing our part in achieving global net-zero and being an example of how SMEs can prioritize sustainability.

This pledge reflects BSR's core identity as a sustainability organization, the urgency of the climate crisis, and our attitude to “walking the talk” with transparency, humbleness, ambition, and a commitment to sustainable business practices.

Achieving climate goals is a journey, and BSR remains dedicated to regularly reviewing our climate strategy, open communication on our progress, and continuous improvement, including expanding our sustainability efforts to address other important issues in the future. 

Blog | Wednesday September 27, 2023

Making Connections Across Professions

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One of BSR’s three core principles for putting our mission into action is to “make connections between issues.” Recent developments in the field of just and sustainable business are re-enforcing the importance of this principle. 

BSR has long emphasized that addressing impacts on the environment, people, enterprise value, and the economy requires holistic approaches.  

However, this point of view has not always been matched by the various initiatives, guidelines, and standards that shape day-to-day work of the just and sustainable business field. These have often been the realm of specialist and distinct professional communities, such as those in human rights, social justice, climate change, and sustainability reporting. 

Encouragingly, there has been an acceleration of alignment among initiatives, guidelines, and standards over recent years. We’re optimistic about these developments and believe they will be sustained by a deliberate joining up of these previously separate domains. 

Examples of greater connection between the fields of reporting and disclosure, business and human rights, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), social impact, and climate change are increasingly common.  

The “impact materiality” principle in the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) clearly states that “the materiality assessment of a negative impact is informed by the due diligence process defined in the international instruments of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.”  

The ESRS and the new IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standard General Requirements both adopt and build on the four-part “governance – strategy – risk – metrics” framework first introduced by the Taskforce on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCDF). 

The climate disclosure standards recently published by the IFRS and ESRS are significantly ahead of their social counterparts and serve as a holistic model for other issue-specific standards to build from. 

However, achieving this progress in practice requires that we address some challenging methodological questions and spread best practices across professions. For example: 

• How do we take the concepts of scope (number of people), scale (gravity of harm), and remediability (ability to reverse harm) that are well-understood in the field of human rights and apply them to environmental impacts such as climate change, as is required by the ESRS and GRI? 

• Given they both now use the same prioritization criteria, should previously separate materiality and salience assessments be combined? If so, how, and what are the risks and opportunities of doing so? 

• How do we ensure that we are addressing inequities in outcomes and opportunities, and promoting diversity, equity and inclusivity in systems and infrastructure designed to address environmental impacts? 

• How can best practices in DEI and human rights due diligence inform new methods of environmental due diligence and support integrated due diligence efforts? 

• How do expectations for accuracy, reliability, and comparability of quantitative data transfer to the often more qualitative realm of social impacts?  

• Are quantitative forward-looking targets always the gold standard, or are other approaches (such as qualitative or normative statements of ambition) sometimes more appropriate? 

• How might scenario analysis, common in the climate change field, improve the quality of DEI and human rights due diligence and understanding of social impact across the value chain? 

• How do we undertake DEI and human rights due diligence of the energy transition? 

• How can we work with boards, executive management, and sustainability experts to facilitate greater collective understanding, action and governance of material risks, opportunities, and their impact on long term business value? 

• How do we effectively engage affected stakeholders in all our efforts without causing significant fatigue? 

We know that the answers to these questions and many more will only be resolved by multi-disciplinary teams taking collaborative approaches and addressing shared challenges together.  

Many of our company members are joining up functions and collaborating among finance, risk, compliance, supply chain, strategy, DEI, and sustainability teams to apply the various new requirements of impact materiality in a combined corporate approach.  

And we at BSR are equally joining experts from our teams on projects together and sharing insights across different functions and teams to better partner with our member companies.  

We look forward to opportunities to collaborate with other organizations—outside counsel, large consulting companies, and audit firms—in multi-vendor arrangements where we can achieve more together than we could alone. 

Making connections between issues is easy to say, but hard to do in practice. However, this moment demands nothing less in our mission to work with business to create a just and sustainable world.