Despite the proliferation of norms and soft law instruments, the protection of human rights—both from and by economic actors—has never been more complex.

With the globalization and financialization of the world economy, fundamental rights appear deeply sidelined—yet they remain crucial, both to ensure a just transition and sustainable societal development, and to mitigate the risks that businesses would otherwise face.

Fundamental rights are often framed as conflicting imperatives when weighed against the economic and financial stakes of business activities, creating a false dilemma—reducing the equation to a simplistic choice between human rights protection and profit, or People vs. Profit.

While regulatory requirements increasingly seek to frame the interaction between economic actors and the protection of fundamental rights, economic realities often make this task more challenging.

We are delighted to present our White Paper – Human Rights & Sustainable Finance: Fundamental Rights, Key Challenges for Economic Actors.

Made in collaboration with the Institut des Hautes Études Internationales at Université Paris Panthéon Assas, this work examines the challenges faced by economic actors in addressing human rights issues.

This research aims to provide concrete answers to these challenges. Taking a dual approach—both analytical and operational—the White Paper:

• Analyses the regulatory frameworks and their application for businesses and investors;
• Identifies levers for action: due diligence, shareholder engagement, and innovative financial instruments (such as social bonds and impact investing) as means of transforming constraints into strategic opportunities;
• Studies concrete cases illustrating the profoundly harmful interactions between human rights and certain business models.
• Relies on the double materiality (financial and impact) methodological framework to map the risks and vulnerabilities of investment decisions, economic activities and supply chains, and to prioritize the prevention of negative impacts.

This White Paper starts from the premise that human rights are not a barrier to performance, but a cornerstone of economic resilience. It therefore encourages businesses and investors to proactively and systematically integrate these issues to reduce legal, financial, reputational, and operational risks, enhance their social legitimacy, and seize opportunities in emerging markets.

This document is therefore intended for both:

• Managers and investors seeking to integrate human rights into their due diligence, strategic decision-making, and investment processes.
• Academics and students interested in the relationship between human rights and private actors through sustainable finance.

With this research, we hope to offer an overview and some food for thought regarding the human and economic issues, long considered incompatible, which can no longer be separated.