Bridging the Gap: Why human rights defenders are key to resilient supply chains

Bridging the Gap: Why human rights defenders are key to resilient supply chains

By Sarah Creedon, May 2026

Companies face a dilemma. Human rights defenders often have valuable insights that are of interest to companies, yet companies cannot easily access the expertise of human rights defenders due to risks for both companies and defenders. Accessing high quality human rights reporting is challenging.

As noted in an earlier insight, standard due diligence processes are insufficient, particularly in conflict-affected environments. In environments that are characterized by instability and governance gaps, the risk of corporate complicity in gross violations of human rights increases exponentially. Without local insights, companies face blind spots that can lead to operational disruptions, reputational damage, and legal liabilities.

At the GCBHR we are seeking to close the knowledge gap between companies’ due diligence processes and the expertise of human rights defenders.

The Gap

Human rights defenders possess unique local expertise that is an untapped resource for companies. Why? Partly because the trust deficit is too wide. Human rights defenders lack safe channels for sharing their concerns with companies without fear of reprisals, and companies lack a secure mechanism to listen to them without exposing themselves to legal or public relations risks.

Bridging the Gap

To address this gap, we are launching The Bridge - a new service designed to facilitate knowledge sharing between the private sector and local human rights defenders. As an academic institution, the Geneva Center for Business and Human Rights (GCBHR) serves as a mediator and safe space between companies and human rights defenders.

For human rights defenders, The Bridge offers a channel to safely convey key messages and concerns that companies should take into account as they plan their operations.

Providing a confidential channel for companies to access the expertise of local human rights defenders can enhance due diligence processes. Companies can reach out to the GCBHR with concrete questions about a specific context (for example, a new location or supplier). The GCBHR, working with trusted civil society intermediaries with global networks, will identify local human rights defenders who are familiar with the context, collect their information, and curate these insights in the form of a policy brief for the company – thereby facilitating knowledge transfer while offering anonymity.

Our pilots have already demonstrated the value of this approach. Routine due diligence can miss simmering conflict risks that local defenders are quick to identify. The underlying issues raised by human rights defenders constitute material business risks. The briefs for companies developed by the GCBHR distill local insights and provide actionable recommendations that can help address these business material risks effectively.

How The Bridge Adds Value

The GCBHR has extensive experience providing rigorous research and engaging with companies across sectors and supply chains to support them in strengthening human rights along their operations. We integrate our expertise and insights from a broad range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, government, civil society, and independent experts to inform our work. Our method provides granular insights to inform risk mitigation and enhance resilience in a company’s supply chain.

Our service allows companies to gain insights into the human rights perspectives regarding specific geographies or communities, such as conflict drivers, legacy issues, or environmental concerns that may be overlooked. Human rights defenders provide the early warnings needed to understand underlying tensions - critical to adequately assess business risks and responses.

Our service The Bridge generates insights that can enhance a company’s ability to anticipate and respond to emerging threats and prevent risks that could otherwise entail incalculable costs for companies.

Risk Mitigation

The necessity of this service is underscored by the cautionary tales of companies operating in high-risk environments. As global tensions intensify and mandatory human rights due diligence regulations mature, the private sector finds itself on the front lines of geopolitical instability. Effective due diligence and risk management requires companies to conduct meaningful stakeholder engagement, everywhere but particularly in complex business environments.

When companies operate in conflict-affected areas, they are not neutral actors. They affect—and are affected by—the local power structures and conflict drivers. They can contribute to or prevent early warning signs of atrocities, such as the closure of civic space. Without a mechanism to capture early warning signs, companies risk paralysis during crisis, leading to inconsistent responses or irresponsible exits that exacerbate harm. Conversely, when companies have a more complete picture of the human rights situation where they are operating, they can better assess risks and enable a rights-respecting environment that has a positive impact on their workers and affected communities.

Methodology: Rigorous and Secure

We understand the sensitivities involved. Our framework allows for varying degrees of disclosure, ensuring that both the company’s interests and human rights defenders are protected through an anonymized synthesis of information. Our process entails three stages: desk research, secure facilitated interviews with local human rights defenders, and analyses retaining key aspects of the anonymized interviews. Companies receive a strategic briefing paper featuring local perspectives, contextual analysis, situational warnings, and actionable recommendations tailored to the company.

The Path Forward

For companies and human rights defenders – we forge a new way forward by building a bridge that connects local human rights knowledge with corporate HRDD processes. We invite our partners in the private sector to engage with this new service to foster a more resilient economy and human rights environment.