Putting HR in Human Rights
International policy discussions on human and labor rights are increasingly entering the workplace, impacting both HR and employees. Governments, consumers and investors expect employers to follow global standards for business conduct, and laws are being passed that require employers to scrutinize their supply chains for human and labor rights risks. In this context, HR professionals at employers of all sizes are being called upon to manage these risks, by developing, implementing and enforcing policies. In this session, you will:
- Learn about business-related regulatory developments that deal with and human and labor rights, such as the FAR, the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act and the U.K.’s Modern Slavery Act.
- Learn how national-level laws, such as those regarding leave and public procurement, are being advanced as models for global workplace policy.
- Learn how HR is leading the response to these developments with examples from a leading organization.
Ariel Meyerstein
Ariel Meyerstein is responsible for USCIB policy and programs on corporate responsibility, international labor standards and corporate governance. He manages USCIB engagement with its affiliated organizations – the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Organization of Employers (IOE), and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD – as well as U.S. government agencies and United Nations agencies on international corporate responsibility principles, codes of conduct and multi-stakeholder initiatives, as well as international and transnational regulatory activities on labor and employment policies, sustainable development and corporate governance.
Meyerstein joined USCIB in 2014, with a background in international dispute resolution, human rights and sustainable development. He has published several articles and book chapters on various aspects of human rights law, including war crimes, refugees, transitional justice and the integration of human rights into financial sector risk assessment processes. Prior to joining USCIB, Meyerstein was an associate at Chadbourne & Park, LLP and before that at Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP. He also served as a legal adviser at the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal and as a judicial clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He holds a law degree and a doctorate in jurisprudence and social policy from the University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in English and human rights from Columbia University.
Mike Cullen
Mike is the Global Labor Relations Leader for Procter & Gamble and is based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Over a 34 year career with P&G, Mike has considerable experience in supply chain operations and human resources management. Mike has served in manufacturing, supply chain planning, and human resources roles in multiple business categories within the company on a global and regional basis. In his current global leadership role for labor relations, Mike has responsibility for strategy and policy development, global capability building, and for guiding global and regional action planning to insure healthy and compliant organizations. Mike’s role partners with other functions to support the corporate social responsibility program. The global labor relations practice is currently leading efforts to embed the necessary Human Resources policies, systems, and tools across the enterprise to support the company human rights policy statement.
Prior to Procter & Gamble, Mike obtained a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University and served in the U.S. Army.