“We build bridges between business, academia, governments and civil society”

OUR APPROACH

We strive to make human rights tangible for business and to initiate change. With this end in view, we support our clients in embedding human rights and environmental due diligence into their business practice – in a step-by-step approach, looking at environmental issues through a human rights lens. It is our belief that no business is too small or too large to implement meaningful measures fostering responsible business behaviour.

Our experience working in the private sector, solution orientation and our extensive international network including representatives from civil society, government, academia and business are what set us apart. We understand the challenges that arise from the need to embed responsible business conduct into existing processes and from diverging views and interests within companies. We support clients in finding pragmatic yet meaningful and impact-oriented solutions to these challenges and to capitalize on the opportunities that arise from actively addressing human rights topics.

As thought leaders in business and human rights, we align our work with international human rights standards and evolving legal frameworks and are keeping with the times in order to update our clients on recent developments in this topical field.

TEAM

Regula Meng

Senior Consultant

Regula is a specialist in business and human rights with experience in the private and public sector. Prior to focusright, she conducted human rights field work with extensive stakeholder consultations for the United Nations in Colombia, was a child rights and business manager at UNICEF Switzerland, and supported LafargeHolcim’s human rights management as part of the Group sustainability team.

Languages: German, English, Spanish, French

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Yolinka Vossen

Consultant

Yolinka has several years of experience in the implementation of human rights due diligence in various sectors. Before joining focusright, she investigated success factors for the implementation of human rights due diligence in collaboration with large Swiss corporations for her Master's thesis and worked in a procurement optimisation consultancy on projects to optimise procurement processes and logistics costs for SMEs.

Languages: German, English, French

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Dominic Rietmann

Consultant

Dominic has several years of operational experience in responsible business conduct and the implementation of human rights due diligence. Before joining focusright, Dominic worked in sustainability at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives. There he worked on projects in the areas of sustainable supply chains and responsible business and was responsible for the implementation of human rights due diligence in the specialist markets.

Languages: German, English, French

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Carina Waser

Analyst

Carina has a legal background with a focus on international law. She wrote her Master’s thesis on the state's obligation to protect human rights in the face of environmental damage caused by transnational corporations in the Global South. Prior to joining focusright, Carina gained experience in human rights and corporate sustainability at the United Nations Global Compact, a human rights due diligence consultancy, and a legal advisory dedicated to the rights of refugees and migrants.

Languages: German, English, French

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JOBS

EVENTS

Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) Peer Learning & Networking Group

focusright moderates the HRDD Peer Learning & Networking Group from the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein (GCNSL), which provides a platform for regular exchange among business and human rights professionals in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The peer learning group meets about every three months for informal virtual or in-person discussions on questions, learnings, insights and challenges with peers. The group is open for employees of for-profit companies working on topics related to business and human rights – from beginners, intermediates and experts.

Participation requirements

• Active participation in informal group discussions

• Willingness to share own experiences and learn from others

• Private sector staff with a professional link to business and human rights

• Being a client of focusright, a participant of the GCNSL or a member of öbu

• Since the goal of the group is for participants to share their challenges and learn from peers, consulting or law firms are not accepted into the group

Language: English

CLIENTS

When needed, we draw on specific expertise in our extensive international network of civil society, government, academia and business.