Last Lessons from a Decade in Business & Human Rights: Part 3
#7: An ounce of due diligence is worth a pound of remediation. Due diligence is all about prevention – the actions that a reasonably...
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About
ABOUT
Hi, I'm Frank Seier. I’m a senior-level business and human rights specialist
Over the past decade, I've established and led the Human Rights Programs at two of Europe’s largest companies, in the pharmaceutical and forest products sectors. I also provided human rights due diligence advice and services to companies in a wide range of other sectors across the globe. I bring a strong Environmental, Social and Governance focus to my work, and am passionate about raising awareness and sharing my experience in this field more broadly.
EXPERIENCE
NOVARTIS
Human Rights Strategy
Pre COVID-19, the pharmaceutical industry was one of the world's least trusted business sectors. In support of Novartis' objective to build trust with society, I developed its first Human Rights Strategy and Program, and led a specialist team in their implementation. Our team firmly established human rights on the company’s Enterprise Risk Management radar and integrated them into its due diligence processes. A key focus of our work is raising awareness of human rights risks and avoiding impacts on supply chain workers and local communities.
STORA ENSO
Addressing Modern Slavery and Child Labour
I joined Stora Enso in the aftermath of a major human rights controversy, to assist it in restoring investor confidence. Over a three-year period, I led the completion of a global Human Rights Assessment and Action Plan, including the management of a multi-year public/private partnership with the ILO on the promotion of decent work and elimination of child labor in supply chains in Pakistan. To future-proof the company, I led the process to identify its highest priority human rights risks and develop a strategy to manage them, including the preparation of the company's first UK Modern Slavery Act Statement.
DANISH INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Human Rights Assessments in Africa and Asia
I led DIHR’s first comprehensive human rights impact assessment, of a major mining project in Mozambique, and a human rights risk mapping of a major pulp mill construction and wood supply project in China. As part of Myanmar's re-entry into the global economy, I co-led sector-wide impact assessments of its emerging oil & gas and tourism sectors, to support the development of a culture of responsible business conduct in partnership with the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business.
Recent posts
EXPERTISE
Expertise
I help organisations to identify and ADDRESS their Human Rights RISKS AND impacts.
• Human Rights Strategy and Policy Development
• Human Rights Program Management
• Human Rights Due Diligence
• Grievance Mechanisms and Conflict Resolution
• Human Rights Training
TESTIMONIALS
Testimonials
During his tenure [at Novartis], Frank successfully established a human rights team...He developed Novartis' first comprehensive human rights strategy and [drove] the integration of human rights into existing risk management processes.
Gabriele Harttung, Global Head Human Rights & Third Party Risk Management, Novartis AG
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