The NOVA Knowledge Centre for Business, Human Rights and the Environment
The NOVA Knowledge Centre for Business, Human Rights and the Environment (NOVA BHRE) is an innovative and multidisciplinary academic centre within the Nova School of Law. It was founded by its current director Claire Bright, and is supported by a team composed of experts both from NOVA School of Law and NOVA School of Business & Economics (NOVA SBE) as well as external experts from all around the world.
The main goal of the NOVA BHRE is to foster responsible business conduct that upholds respect for human rights, decent work and environmental standards throughout their entire global value chains, thereby also advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The centre is focused on applied academic work, which puts the latest academic research directly into practice, and clarifies the role of law in corporate sustainability.
News
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NOVA BHRE Annual Report 2025
Upcoming events, activities, publications and blog posts.
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NOVA BHRE | 2025 in Highlights
Upcoming events, activities, publications and blog posts.
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NOVA BHRE Newsletter December 2025
Upcoming events, activities, publications and blog posts.
Our latest blog post
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Women, Business and Environmental Justice: Advancing a Gender-Responsive Just Transition
Climate change is widely recognized as a global crisis. However, it is less frequently acknowledged as a crisis of inequality.The climate crisis is not gender neutral. Across regions and sectors, environmental degradation and climate change intensify pre-existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting women while also highlighting their critical role as agents of change. As economies shift toward low-carbon, climate-resilient models, the just transition framework has emerged to ensure that environmental transformation promotes social equity rather than exacerbates exclusion. In this context, businesses play a pivotal role in shaping production systems, investment flows, and labor markets. Integrating gender equality into corporate governance and sustainability strategies is essential.