Businesses have human rights too

Professor Butler will offer a new framework for how businesses can effectively realise their right to access justice.

Inaugural lecture—Professor Petra Butler

July 2019

Based on dignity, fairness, equality, and respect, human rights protect us all. When talked about in a business context, people generally think of human rights in opposition to abusive business activities such as sweatshops or child labour. However, businesses have some rights too—in particular, the right to access justice.

Professor Petra Butler will explore why businesses' access to justice is often violated, and will discuss a project undertaking global empirical research into contractual behaviour of small- and medium‑sized enterprises. Drawing on this research, Professor Butler will offer a new framework for how businesses can effectively realise their right to access justice.

This is Professor Butler’s inaugural lecture as Professor of Law at Victoria University of Wellington. Our public lecture series gives you the opportunity to engage with the latest thinking on the world’s major issues.

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