F1HH 4320 - Business & Human Rights

The course follows a flipped classroom model using the Moodle platform. Students will have access to educational materials such as reading materials, podcasts and videos. The virtual space will also contain forums to share reflections, questions or any other comments about the course.

The course is taught predominantly through in-class sessions, with occasional virtual meetings. Classes are designed as interactive spaces to critically discuss course materials. The instructor facilitates dialogue, introduces key concepts, provides best practices and real examples, and leads experiential activities to deepen learning experience.

Learning Outcomes :

• Understand the evolution, strategies and influence of corporate power in international affairs and in relation to democratic systems.
• Critically assess the range of international legal and policy instruments, both binding and non-binding, developed to regulate corporate conduct in relation to human rights.
• Recognise the range of human rights impacts and violations that business operations may generate, using a holistic and interdisciplinary approach.
• Identify areas of personal or professional interest in the business and human rights field and develop the knowledge and tools to contribute to debates on corporate regulation and accountability.

Professional Skills :

• Understand how multinational corporations operate, from corporate structures to global value chains and business relationships.
• Identify and compare key international instruments and standards on Business & Human Rights.
• Apply Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) methodologies developed by states, companies, and civil society.
• Recognise the role of local communities in preventing violations and enabling effective reparations.
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and other non-binding mechanisms to prevent and mitigate human rights abuses.
• Identify corporate Human Rights impacts, sector-specific risks, and red flags using Human Rights Impact Assessment methodologies.
• Contribute to civil society efforts aimed at regulating the extra-territorial conduct of multinational companies at national, regional and international level.

The teaching team will provide individual written feedback for both assignments via the Moodle platform within three weeks of submission. In addition, general collective feedback will be delivered during class sessions. Students may also request more detailed, personalized feedback either after class or through scheduled online meetings.

To validate the course, the student is expected to pass the following assignments:

• Individual essay 45%
• Working Group Assignment 45%
• In-class participation 10%

The total workload for this course is 150 hours, distributed over 15 weeks as follows:

• In-Class Presence: 24 hours of in-person lectures plus 1 hour for an online introductory session, totalling 25 hours.
• Reading and Class Preparation: Approximately 60 hours per semester (an average of 5 hours per session).
• Group Work – Research and Preparation: 30 hours per semester.
• Individual Assessments – Research and Writing: 35 hours per semester.