Retreat or respect? Diverging corporate paths on human rights in a time of turbulence
In today’s turbulent context, US companies face a choice: uphold human rights and support civic space, or contribute to their erosion in the US and around the world.
Our latest analysis identifies three broad responses from US corporations to this moment: some companies are actively undermining human rights progress, others are quietly retreating from past commitments, and some are holding firm despite the pressure. What is at stake is a quarter-century of hard-won but still insufficient progress – progress now under threat at precisely the moment human rights risks are intensifying.
This analysis draws on insights from desk-based research, conversations with experts, and from two surveys conducted by BHRC in April 2026.
The first survey asked individuals who had left or lost a human rights-related position at a company, consultancy, advisory firm, investor, or a related organization since November 2024 about their departure. Eighty-five individuals responded from around the world. For the second, BHRC asked 54 top US companies about changes in team size, budget, and scope of human rights programs; 13 responded.
Read the analysis
Find out more about how companies are responding to today's context and delve into our survey results.
Company responses
Further reading
US corporate human rights index
All our data on the core human rights policies and commitments of 54 US-headquartered companies in the technology, apparel, extractives, automotive, and agrifood sectors.
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