Time: 6:00 - 9:00pm Venue: University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP), 9-11 Rue de Constantine, 75007 Paris, France
The New Voices in Commercial Law (NVCL) is a seminar series which aims to provide a forum for debate and an opportunity for attendees to hear early career academics with outstanding potential discuss their research in an intellectually stimulating environment.
In this seminar, two speakers - Lecturers from Queen Mary University of London's School of Law - will present their research on two facets of commercial law which may be used as tools to promote corporate social responsibility.
Please note that attendance of this seminar will count for credit towards la formation continue obligatoire des avocats with the Paris Bar.
Presenting on 'Social Disclosure', Barnali will question whether disclosure requirements should be used as tools by states to promote social policies. In doing so, she questions whether company law, a predominantly private law tool, should be used to achieve public aims. Since financial disclosure obligations operate under the shadow of public law, these types of disclosure obligations are legally permissible buy only if the required disclosure is material. More importantly, are these types of disclosure obligations appropriate since in many instances they make no or only small improvements to social goals. In other words, if the aim is to make companies promote social objectives - a wholly laudable goal - are financial rules the best tool?
Angelos' presentation aims to examine whether and how international investment law can assist towards the development of comprehensive CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) standards and strengthening compliance with them. It examines the different options available for addressing CSR concerns through International Investment Agreements (IIAs), and argues that given the constraints of traditional international law mechanisms, which cannot impose directly obligations on individuals, IIAs can be much more effective towards providing incentives to MNEs to adopt and comply with CSR standards. The growing number of best endeavours provisions in IIAs, encouraging multinationals to adopt CSR standards is a testament to that goal. Yet, IIAs have a tremendous potential. By introducing CSR conditionality and subjecting the conferral of IIA benefits to compliance with relevant CSR standards, international investment law can provide real economic incentives for enhancing the effectiveness of CSR mechanisms.
Andromachi is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London and the research convenor of the NVCL series. Her research focuses on theories of regulation and the regulation of financial markets.
For directions to this event, please refer to the map.
This event is free but prior registration is required via Eventbrite.
For further information, please contact Anna Gray on anna.gray@qmul.ac.uk or +33 (0)1 44 11 73 97.
Please note that CCLS events may be photographed or video and audio recorded. These materials will be used for internal and external promotional purposes only by Queen Mary University of London. If you object to appearing in the photographs, please let our photographer know on the day. Alternatively you can email the CCLS Events Team on ccls-events@qmul.ac.uk in advance of the event that you are attending.