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Alisha Vellani

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Alisha is responsible for the accounts payable process and supporting accounting related tasks as well as process improvement.

Before joining BSR, Alisha worked at Habib Bank LTD, Pakistan’s largest bank, as a business analyst managing the IT payment and vendor procurement process along with project managing end-to-end processes in lieu of the digital transformation initiative. Prior to that, Alisha worked at BDO Pakistan in Risk Advisory, writing reports and assisting in projects with several clients.

Alisha has a BA in Business with Finance. She also speaks in Urdu and is currently learning Japanese.

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Bridgett Fisher

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Bridgett supports BSR’s Financial Services team primarily on impact investing, ESG, and finance and human rights. She also supports BSR’s work in sustainability management.

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 on the board of the ABA Business Law Section on Corporate Social Responsibility, and is Chair-elect 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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Felicity Butler

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Felicity has a wealth of experience promoting equity, gender justice, sustainability, and innovation in agricultural value chains.

Felicity works with companies to drive social justice at an individual and systemic level and align their efforts with the needs and expectations of their employees, communities, and vital stakeholders. Her experiences prior to joining BSR includes setting up the UK's first women-only Fair Trade coffee brand, supporting Brazil nut cooperatives in the Amazon negotiate for better prices with UK supermarkets, researching women’s unpaid work for her collaborative PhD with The Body Shop, and addressing gender-based violence in agriculture and market systems development for USAID Feed the Future Advancing Women’s Empowerment programme.

She holds a PhD in Human Geography and an MSc in Practising Sustainable Development, both from Royal Holloway, University of London, and a BA in English Literature in the School of African and Asian Studies from the University of Sussex.

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. 

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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 works closely with several of our AoE teams, including Climate, Nature, and Equity, Inclusion and Justice. She provides administrative and research support, while also securing cross-functional team collaboration opportunities.

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.