Advocating for Children’s Rights: A Smart Business Move

Pia Gisgård, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Governance at Swedbank Robur, and Kristin Wallander, Sustainability Analyst at Swedbank Robur, share their perspectives on the importance of considering children’s rights as a business. 

Children are our future and the most vulnerable members of society. Their rights—protection, development, and inclusion—are essential. Large corporations impact children through their supply chains, parent employees, products, services, and community presence. Raising awareness about this impact can improve millions of young lives worldwide.

The private sector is crucial to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, but elevating children’s rights on corporate agendas is challenging. The finance sector can drive sustainable practices, particularly concerning children’s rights.

As Sweden’s largest fund manager, we invest in over 3,400 companies globally. Our size grants us access to their boards and management teams. We positively influence our investments through active engagement, meeting with over 500 companies this year alone and reaching even more companies through various investor initiatives.

Children’s rights frequently arise in our discussions. We ask gaming companies about responsible gaming practices and manufacturing companies about their processes to ensure supply chains in developing countries are free from child labour. With complex supply chains, robust policies and controls are essential.

Children are future stakeholders. Investing in their well-being is an investment in our collective future. By engaging with companies, investors encourage greater accountability and transparency regarding children’s rights, promoting child-friendly policies and practices.

Using the Global Child Forum benchmark and questions, we gain better insights into companies’ work on children’s rights. This deepens our dialogues with companies. Collaboration is key to driving change. Last year, we partnered with Global Child Forum and other investors to ask 35 of the largest global companies about their consideration of children’s rights. This year we sent reminders to the companies that did not respond to last year’s reach-out and sent letters to 18 new companies that will be benchmarked this year.

Promoting children’s rights aligns with ethical principles and benefits businesses:

1. Enhanced Reputation: Companies with child-friendly policies gain a positive reputation.
2. Long-Term Sustainability: Respecting children’s rights builds a more inclusive society and positions businesses for long-term success.
3. Risk Mitigation: Addressing children’s rights mitigates risks related to compliance, reputation, and supply chain disruptions.
4. Attracting Talent: Purpose-driven companies attract and retain top talent.
5. Community Engagement: Supporting children’s rights fosters positive community relationships.

Prioritising children’s rights isn’t just ethical—it’s smart business. Companies that protect and promote these rights gain positive investor attention, higher employee satisfaction, and new market opportunities, benefiting everyone, especially children.