SPEAKER

Over the last 25 years of a four decade-plus career, Bennett Freeman has worked at the intersection of governments, international institutions, multinational corporations, responsible investors, and NGOs to establish global standards for corporate responsibility and accountability. A pioneering leader in the business and human rights arena, he has played critical roles in founding and building multi-stakeholder initiatives and coalitions to protect human rights and labor rights around the world.

Freeman is an Associate Fellow of Chatham House in the Global Economy and Finance Program, where he focuses on multinational corporations, politics and conflict, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute of International Affairs at the University of California at Berkley. A frequent university lecturer, international conference speaker, and media commentator, Freeman consults for major corporations, foundations, and NGOs through Bennett Freeman Associates LLC. He has served on two dozen boards and advisory councils for organizations working on labor and human rights, natural resource governance and corruption.

As Senior Vice President for Sustainability Research and Policy at Calvert Investments from April 2006-April 2015, he led its environmental, social and governance research for over 40 mutual funds, developed innovative new investment themes, and directed its shareholder advocacy and public policy initiatives.

Freeman served as a Clinton presidential appointee in three positions at the U.S. Department of State. As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor from April 1999-January 2001, Freeman directed bilateral human rights diplomacy and led the year-long multi-stakeholder dialogue and negotiations to develop and launch the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights as the global human rights standard for oil and mining companies. He directed the diplomacy and historical research related to Holocaust-era assets as Senior Advisor to Under Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Stuart Eizenstat from April 1997-March 1999. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and chief speechwriter for Secretary of State Warren Christopher from April 1993-January 1997.

Freeman was Manager-Corporate Affairs for GE in the corporate headquarters and corporate government relations office from February 1985-April 1993. He began his career as a presidential campaign speechwriter and aide for former Vice President Walter Mondale from February 1982-November 1984.

Freeman earned an AB in History from Berkeley in 1979 and an MA (Honours) in Modern History from Oxford in 1981.