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NOVA Business, Human Rights and the Environment
About Us
NOVA BHRE Centre
A multidisciplinary academic centre within NOVA School of Law.
The NOVA Knowledge Centre for Business, Human Rights and the Environment (NOVA BHRE) is a multidisciplinary academic centre within NOVA School of Law. It was founded by its current director Claire Bright, and is supported by a team composed of students (undergraduates and postgraduates), researchers (PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers) as well as renown national and international experts. Its executive committee is composed of Claire Bright, Laura Iñigo Álvarez (Scientific Coordinator of the Centre) and Ana Duarte (Research Associate).
The main goal of NOVA BHRE is to contribute to fostering responsible and sustainable business conduct in Portugal, Europe and beyond that upholds respect for human rights, decent work and environmental standards throughout global value chains. In this way it aims to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals which ‘seek to realize the human rights of all’.
Goals
The objective of NOVA Knowledge Centre for Business, Human Rights and the Environment is to promote multidisciplinary research on business, human rights and the environment and to develop awareness and capacity building around these issues.
NOVA Business, Human Rights and the Environment counts on the law firm, PLMJ, as a legal partner to place Portugal at the forefront of the European commitment to convert the entrepreneurial fabric into an example of responsible and sustainable business conduct, with companies assuming a central role in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals identified by the United Nations.
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The main pillars of the activities of the NOVA BHRE are threefold:
To conduct research with an emphasis on applied academic work
This puts the latest academic research directly into practice. In particular, the team seeks to clarify the role of law in corporate sustainability and analyse the effectiveness of the various legal frameworks in prompting sustainable due diligence practices by companies. The work of various members of NOVA BHRE has directly contributed to legislative developments at the domestic and European level.
To promote awareness and capacity building around key issues of sustainable business
Achieved through the organisation of events (conferences, practical workshops and webinars) and podcasts. It also aims to train the next generation of sustainable business leaders and legal practitioners through the development of courses and training in the field relevant to these courses.
To serve as a platform of exchange, facilitating strong connections, exchanges and collaborations
Between multistakeholders including academics from various disciplines and institutions, companies, NGOs, legal practitioners, government officials, trade-unions, investors, business organisations as well as European and international organisations.