Join us for an online discussion on “Human Rights in the Arms Trade: Legal Risk, Responsibility, and the Role of Institutional Investors.” Recent developments in international law and practice are reshaping how responsibility for human rights violations in conflict settings is understood—not only for states, but also for businesses and financial actors. 

Frameworks such as the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) are increasingly intersecting in ways that carry significant implications for institutional investors. This session examines how evolving legal standards are transforming human rights impacts associated with investments in the defense industry from ethical considerations into material risks and potential liabilities for investor portfolios.

Speakers

Our discussion will feature :

• Dr. Tara Van Ho, Associate Professor of Law at St. Mary’s University (Texas), who will present her research on the human rights responsibilities of the arms industry, regulating States, and the investors that support them. You can read her latest research on this topic here and here. 
• Sam Jones, President of Heartland Initiative, will reflect on how the blurring of the defense and tech industries (e.g., “defense tech”) is reshaping historic investor approaches to the sector.
• Anil Yilmaz Vastardis, Senior Lecturer at Essex Law School and Human Rights Centre will reflect on Dr. Van Ho's findings as they relate to broader considerations of the business-state nexus in situations of armed conflict"?

Moderator 

The conversation, moderated by Florence Foster, special adviser at the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, will explore:

• Can institutional investors ethically invest in arms companies?

• What does a human rights-based approach to the industry look like?

• How are legal and operational risks evolving into material financial risks?

• What are the implications for due diligence and long-term investment decision-making?

Registration

To attend this event and receive the Zoom link, please register here.

Organisers

This event is co-convened by the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, Heartland Initiative, Essex Business and Human Rights Project, and St. Mary’s University.