Heartland and 45 leading civil society organizations call on the governments convening the Summit for Democracy 2023 to prioritize human rights due diligence for spyware technologies on the Summit’s agenda. To achieve greater transparency, accountability, peace and a more prosperous future for all, in alignment with the stated objective of the Summit, states and investors

On March 1, 2023, Heartland, alongside 86 investors representing over US$2.44 trillion in assets under management and advisement, joined the Investor Alliance for Human Rights in welcoming the European Commission’s legislative proposal to prohibit products made with forced labor from entering the European Union market. With the significant rise in modern slavery according to the

Content note: this statement contains references to violence, murder, and potential war crimes. Today marks two years since the Myanmar military initiated a deadly coup, ripping the country out of democratic transition. More than 700 days since the start of the coup and this bloody invasion now extends to the digital sphere where the military’s

Heartland, Access Now, and Open MIC have submitted comments urging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to establish rules and amendments related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. These changes would enable investors to access accurate data on the ESG performance of the companies they support, allowing for more informed decision-making. For too long,

On June 23, 2022, Heartland, together with Access Now and 93 civil society organizations, called on international actors to maintain global focus on Myanmar, end internet shutdowns, and take a strong stance against the regime’s aggression. The Myanmar military must not be allowed to commit crimes with impunity under the cover of darkness, and governments

On February 24, 2022 the Russian Federation launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine, which has since claimed the lives of more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, displaced more than 14 million, and resulted in over $500 billion in economic losses for the country.  The invasion is the most recent act of Russian aggression against Ukraine

Controversies surrounding NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware and the inherent bias of facial recognition systems highlight the need for immediate and improved due diligence for these emerging technologies. A new guide launched today on effective due diligence will help shareholders with investments in the surveillance technology ecosystem identify, assess, prevent and mitigate increasing human rights and

In February 2022, Heartland joined more than 100 companies, investors, business associations and initiatives and released a joint statement urging the EU to swiftly adopt a legislative proposal on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence within the Sustainable Corporate Governance initiative.  Related posts: Investor Statement on the Crisis in Ukraine On February 24, 2022

Heartland along with 155 civil society organizations and 26 independent experts call on states to implement an immediate moratorium on the sale, transfer, and use of surveillance technology. We, the undersigned civil society organizations and independent experts, are alarmed at the media revelations that NSO Group’s spyware has been used to facilitate human rights violations

On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military carried out a coup d’etat against the country’s democratically elected government. The military’s increasingly repressive crackdown against pro-democracy protesters has led to more than 5,000 deaths, including summary executions, and tens of thousands more detained, tortured, and injured. The coup followed the military’s ethnic cleansing campaign against the