Our Sector Directors and trusted experts bring a deep understanding of diverse industries and their unique opportunities.

In our 2024-2025 Impact Report, they share their thoughts on what mattered most in this reporting year, and what your business should focus on over 2026.

Here, Sector Director Caroline Vail shares her thoughts on Industry & Technology.

Over the year, I’ve seen clients taking ambitious but practical approaches.

We’ve worked with them across the value chain – from supporting investors with due diligence, to shaping ethical principles for AI, to ensuring responsible sourcing of batteries, and managing human rights issues at the
smelter, mine, and community levels.

Clients in this sector have increasingly blurred lines. Extractives companies are moving into renewables, while renewables, vehicle and aerospace manufacturers are influencing how raw materials are sourced and mined. This brings complexity – and an exciting opportunity. Companies are navigating regulatory, social and environmental landscapes that were once outside their traditional scope.

HREDD is critical for navigating this shift and to achieve transparency.

We have seen important work with industry associations this year. We’ve trained practitioners across the mining sector in operationalising HREDD in Australia and Canada for ICMM. We’ve developed materials to advance social responsibility across the aviation industry. Sharing knowledge across sectors can accelerate change.

We’ve helped companies to build human rights management systems, develop governance structures, strengthen leadership and team capacity, train procurement teams, and to tackle systemic challenges. 

We are seeing more clients considering their role in, and influence on conflict through heightened human rights due diligence (hHREDD). This process supports businesses to make ethical decisions and ensure they do not exacerbate existing conflict.

I am also excited to work with clients to build on human rights management and ‘risk to people’ towards Social Value programmes to create positive social impact.

Businesses that are ‘more human’ will lead the way in 2026, creating benefits for business, workers, supply chain partners, communities and society.

Read our case study: Accelerating HREDD for a luxury car manufacturer, UK.

Read more sector perspectives in the twentyfifty 2024-2025 Impact Report

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