Everything we do is mission-driven. And that matters.
At Shift, we have one purpose: to transform how business gets done in order to ensure respect for people’s lives and dignity. We believe that the best way to advance our mission is by working directly with businesses to help shape their practices, culture and behavior and by working with governments, financial institutions, civil society and other market actors to embed the right requirements and incentives into the frameworks within which business operates.
Why these three agents of change:
Click on the “+” sign below to learn about each agent of change that we seek to influence
BUSINESSES
All business enterprises – regardless of their size, sector, operational context, ownership and structure – have a responsibility to respect human rights. Every day, more companies in an increasing number of business sectors and geographies acknowledge that responsibility.
We work with companies of all shapes and sizes, in an array of geographies, as long as we believe that they are seriously committed to respecting people’s rights. Our business partners consider us not only subject-matter experts but also thought partners, critical friends and coaches. Learn more.
We also partner with stakeholders that play a key role in influencing business behavior, such as trade unions, business associations and civil society organizations.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
We work with financial institutions because they are uniquely positioned to influence how businesses behave and operate. Financial institutions, including investors, play a key role in shaping markets. They can reward businesses that respect people’s rights and discourage behavior that harms people or puts them at risk.
Depending on their connection to government, or their behavior as a business enterprise, they also have their own responsibilities to meet. Learn more.
STANDARD SETTERS
We work with governments, business associations, intergovernmental organizations and other standard setters because they shape the environments in which businesses operate.
Through laws, regulations, policies and guidance, we help shape economic environments where it is not only normal but inevitable to prioritize people in the way businesses make decisions. Learn more.
Our approach is grounded in the global authoritative standard: the UN Guiding Principles
The UN GUIDING PRINCIPLES (UNGPs) are the global authoritative standard on business and human rights. Since they were unanimously endorsed by the Human Rights Council in 2011, they’ve been adopted by companies all around the world, across an ever-growing number of industries. Governments, trade unions, civil society organizations and many other stakeholders use the UNGPs as the framework to engage and drive transformation.
The UNGPs are at the heart of who we are and at the core of everything we do. We played an instrumental role in WRITING THEM and are internationally renowned as the leading center of expertise on the UNGPs. Above all, we are backed by years of hands-on work with allies who trust us because they know we understand – and can help them overcome – the complex challenges of putting them into practice.
NEW TO THE UN GUIDING PRINCIPLES?
We Are Pioneers in the World of Business and Human Rights
A core element of Shift’s identity is our passion for purposeful curiosity and innovation. We love to take the road less traveled and explore the tough, seemingly unsolvable questions in order to develop tools, insights and resources that can help bring about positive transformation.
Through almost a decade of work across industries and geographies, we’ve developed unique, hands-on expertise that has positioned us around the world as leaders and pioneers in several key areas:
Interested in working with Shift?
We are always keen to explore new partnerships, projects and ideas that can help advance our mission.
