News

Maplecroft’s Deborah Leipziger to lead research in the Americas for Human Rights Dilemmas Forum

04/09/2009

Human Rights Dilemmas Forum - http://human-rights.unglobalcompact.org/

Corporate responsibility expert, Deborah Leipziger, has joined global risks analyst, Maplecroft, to head up the US end of a joint project with the UN Global Compact addressing human rights dilemmas for multinational corporations.

Leipziger will be working on the Human Rights Dilemmas Forum, funded by the GE Foundation, to create dialogues and discussions on the significant human rights dilemmas affecting the operations and supply chains of large organisations in the developing world. The interactive website will feature case studies on a wide range of human rights issues and will actively promote participation from all stakeholder groups.

“We are delighted to have Deborah on-board, She is a leader in the field of corporate responsibility. Her experience and expertise make her a great addition to the Maplecroft team and the Human Rights Dilemmas Forum. She will act as the focal point for engaging with multinationals in North and Latin America and work with them on developing strategies and solutions.”

- Professor Alyson Warhurst of Warwick Business School and Founding Director of Maplecroft.

The forum, launched in June 2009, aims to increase understanding of a wide range of corporate responsibility issues, including HIV / AIDS, education, child labour and discrimination. Ultimately, the project will encourage the exchange of ideas and better working practices in zones of weak governance and countries where there are substantial human rights challenges.

Her new role as Senior Consultant at Maplecroft will also involve acting as the company’s ambassador to the USA, Canada and Latin America. She will be based in Boston and work as an integral part of the corporate responsibility consulting team, advising Maplecroft’s clients in the Americas.

Prior to joining Maplecroft, Leipziger advised companies, governments, and UN agencies on corporate responsibility issues. She has provided strategic advice to Heineken, Holcim, Shell, TNT, Good Company, and Respect Europe, among others. She has also worked on a wide range of CR initiatives, including the UN’s Global Compact, the Global Reporting Initiative, the UN Environment Programme, the Human Rights Impact Assessment, Oxfam Novib, and Social Accountability International.

Leipziger is a well known author with several book publications to her name, including: The Corporate Responsibility Code Book (2003), considered a leading reference in the field of CR. She edited the recently published, SA8000: The First Decade (2009), which assesses the first ten years of the standard and verifications system to assure human workplaces throughout the supply chain. Her books have also been translated into Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese.