Deadline for application: 26/05/2021

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We help make our member companies more successful and sustainable by focusing on the maximum positive impact for shareholders, the environment and societies.

Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing combined revenues of more than USD $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Our global network of almost 70 national business councils gives our members unparalleled reach across the globe. Since 1995, WBCSD has been uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues.  Together, we are the leading voice of business for sustainability: with a vision of a world where more than nine billion people are all living well and within planetary boundaries, by 2050.

WBCSD’s People & Society Program focuses on providing solutions that support the global business community in ensuring that their products, services, processes and conduct remain in tune with the needs, rights, goals and aspirations of society. We do this by facilitating peer-to-peer exchange, inspiring, informing and advocating for business action, and representing the voice of leading business in international forums.

Job overview

Reporting to the Director of the People & Society program, this role will form an integral part of WBCSD’s efforts to define and advance impactful business solutions to address mounting global inequality.  Specifically, the role will involve steering and shaping two key pillars of this work in the form of WBCSD’s projects related to the Future of Work and Business and Human Rights.

The Future of  Work

This project focuses on bringing leading companies and stakeholders together to create strategies and business models that enable an equitable, diverse, inclusive and empowering future of work – contributing to future-fit businesses, labor markets and social security mechanisms, with people at their center.

Business and Human Rights

WBCSD’s human rights work aims at operationalizing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and increasing the number of companies knowing and showing that they respect human rights through a combination of inspiring and informing business action, facilitating peer-to-peer learning, and advancing multi-stakeholder dialogues and coalitions.

The position is full-time. Although the broader People and Society team is based in Geneva, there is the potential for remote working from other geographies. The role will require international travel (restrictions permitting).

Responsibilities and duties

• Steer and shape WBCSD’s Future of Work and Business and Human Rights projects as key pillars of the broader People & Society portfolio and its efforts to tackle inequality globally.
• Work closely with WBCSD member companies involved in the projects to develop collaborative solutions, tools and guidelines, disseminate emerging best practice, and build coalitions for action.
• Conduct continual research and analysis of emerging trends and thought leadership in fields relevant to the Future of Work and Business and Human Rights and ensure this is integrated into project planning.
• Represent WBCSD within the business community and as part of dialogues with key partners including, policymakers, intergovernmental bodies, civil society and academia.
• Support other projects across WBCSD in integrating robust human rights and future of work considerations into their scoping and implementation efforts.
• Contribute to the broader strategy and advocacy efforts of the People & Society program.

Qualifications and skills

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in a business environment.
• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in a related discipline.
• Robust knowledge of the business and human rights and future of work agendas.
• Passion for advancing the social aspects of sustainable development.
• Strategic systems thinker with high attention to detail.
• Effective project manager with a track record of delivering complex projects to tight deadlines.
• A proven ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships while moving progress forward.
• Competent and confident communication and facilitation skills.
• A commitment to teamwork but also an ability to work independently in matrix-based
• Perfect fluency – both written and oral – in English, and preferably one other language.

Work environment

WBCSD offers a competitive, modern, and flexible working arrangement:

• Geneva-based organization with offices in London, New Delhi, Singapore and New York City
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• State-of-the-art facilities and ICT-enabled working tools
• Flex-time and part-time possibilities
• Dynamic working atmosphere
• Open culture encouraging interaction and sharing of ideas and opinions
• International relocation support
• Sustainable commuting incentives

WBCSD is a purpose driven, forward-thinking and action-oriented organization, characterised by diversity of gender, nationalities and work experiences.

Please also note that WBCSD will only respond to candidates selected for the interview process.