Author: Nevena Dicic Kostic, Sustineri Partners
At Sustineri Partners we celebrate Human Rights Day with the reminder why human rights are in the core of everything that we do through work with partners, research, outreach and advocacy.
Over the past decade, the conversation about business responsibility has fundamentally shifted. What was once viewed as optional corporate social responsibility has evolved into a core component of competitiveness, investment readiness, and regulatory compliance. European and global markets are reshaping expectations placed on companies, particularly through mandatory due diligence laws such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the German Supply Chain Act, which are already transforming the way supply chains function and how investment decisions are made. For companies across the region, this is no longer a theoretical discussion but a direct business reality: exporters will need to document human rights and environmental due diligence; investors are incorporating human rights risks into valuation; public institutions must strengthen oversight and remedy mechanisms; and companies will face increasing pressure from clients and regulators.
What emerges from Sustineri Partners’ work, supporting companies and institutions to move beyond compliance and place human rights at the core of governance, operations, and growth, is a clear picture of how deeply human rights challenges are woven into regional economic structures. Persistent gaps in labour protection, widespread reliance on insecure forms of work, and the limited enforcement capacity of labour institutions reveal vulnerabilities that affect both workers and the broader economy. These structural issues extend across key sectors, including environmental protection, public procurement, gender equality, and the treatment of foreign workers, highlighting the systemic and interconnected nature of the challenges. While progress has been made, it remains too fragmented to address the scale of the issues or meet the urgency of harmonisation with the EU acquis.
Strengthening the alignment between national policies, business practices, and international human rights standards increasingly requires clear structures, coordinated action, and consistent monitoring. Effective progress depends on creating mechanisms that enable regular dialogue among government institutions, businesses, civil society organisations, and academia, ensuring that challenges are addressed in a systematic and forward-looking way. Developing a coherent national framework on business and human rights is widely recognised as an important tool for building investor confidence, enhancing protections for workers and communities, and supporting sustainable economic development. This also includes continuous legislative review, improved understanding of access to remedies, and the integration of human rights considerations into public procurement, state investment processes, trade missions, and listing requirements. For companies operating across borders, maintaining transparency and consistency in human rights practices throughout their global operations is becoming an essential part of responsible business conduct.
Across many sectors, there is growing emphasis on deeper engagement with communities and vulnerable groups, reflecting the need for inclusive processes that respond to real social and economic conditions. Education and awareness-raising play a key role in promoting non-discrimination and fostering safe, dignified, and equitable working environments. Efforts to strengthen women’s participation in the labour market, address age-based and LGBT+ discrimination, and expand employment opportunities for vulnerable communities are central to advancing equality. At the same time, increased attention is being paid to the rights of migrant workers, the risks of forced labour and human trafficking, and the institutional capacity required to prevent and respond to these challenges. This includes improving monitoring and reporting practices, enhancing cooperation with labour inspection authorities, ensuring access to legal and social support, and promoting safe migration pathways.
If this sounds complex and overwhelming, you are right. It is. But with strategic, well-designed processes, the integration of human rights into business operations becomes a transformative exercise—one that strengthens companies at their core and makes them more resilient, competitive, and agile.
All that said, it is important to remember that framing respect for human rights purely as a “business case” or risk-mitigation strategy has its limits. If human rights are valued only insofar as they protect profit or reduce liability, companies may be tempted to abandon them the moment the financial incentive disappears. Human rights are not simply another item in a risk register—they are rooted in the inherent dignity and rights of individuals. Shifting the lens from profitability to principle ensures that respect for human rights does not become conditional, but remains a non-negotiable foundation for sustainable and ethical business.
