Heartland Initiative

Advancing Human Rights in Investment

WHO WE ARE

Heartland Initiative is dedicated to transforming how investors advance human rights in an increasingly turbulent world. We drive systemic change through peer learning and collaboration among investors, civil society organizations, and policymakers. Heartland is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization headquartered in the United States.

WHAT WE DO

Heartland supports investors in managing the most severe and systemic risks in their portfolios while addressing the greatest threats to rights holders around the world. Our team of experts provides tailored learning services to institutional investors in North America, Europe, and Australasia with more than $500 billion in assets under management and partners with investors representing an additional $7 trillion.

OUR WORK

To advance human rights in investment, Heartland focuses on three integrated workstreams.

01

Transform

We provide institutional investors with tailored learning services to help transform their policies, practices, and cultures.

02

Integrate

We work with civil society organizations to ensure investor strategies integrate the perspectives of impacted people and communities.

03

Cocreate

We connect investors, civil society organizations, policymakers, and companies to create enabling environments for human rights in business.

Recent Projects

Get the latest

Navigating the Surveillance Technology Ecosystem: A Human Rights Due Diligence Guide for Investors

Heartland, in partnership with Access Now, the Business & Human Rights Resource, and with support from regional digital rights organizations (DROs), published “Navigating the surveillance technology ecosystem: A human rights due diligence guide for investors.” This effort is helping to build capacity among investors and DROs to advance corporate accountability for ...

Investor Pilot Project on Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas

In October 2023, Heartland Initiative, PeaceNexus, and the Investor Alliance for Human Rights launched a pilot project to support a coalition of more than 50 investors in collaboratively engaging renewable energy and technology companies on emerging policy, practice, and governance related to activities in conflict-affected and high-risk areas....

Heartland Joins the Global Network Initiative

Heartland is pleased to announce our membership in the Global Network Initiative (GNI) as part of its investor constituency. GNI is the leading multistakeholder forum for accountability, shared learning, and collective advocacy on government and company policies and practices at the intersection of technology and human rights....

The Saliency-Materiality Nexus

In The Saliency Materiality Nexus: Addressing systemic risks to people and portfolios in a turbulent world, Heartland, Wespath Benefits & Investments, and Schroders Asset Management provides a practical, rights-based framework that can focus investors’ analytical and engagement efforts on identifying and addressing the most severe and systemic social risks in their portfolios....

Rich Stazinski Named to the State Department’s Advisory Committee on Responsible Business Conduct

Heartland is pleased to announce that Rich Stazinski has been named to the U.S. State Department’s newly formed Advisory Committee on Responsible Business Conduct. The federal advisory committee will play a critical role in shaping U.S. policy on responsible business conduct....

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By the numbers

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