Setting Corporate Expectations in Driving Human Rights and Human Value

Tam Nguyen is the Global Head of Sustainability at Bechtel Corporation. He leads the overall implementation of Bechtel’s sustainability strategy and serves as a principal advisor for a range of global sustainability issues, policies, and standards. Tam also serves as Vice Chair of the Corporate Responsibility Committee of the U.S. Council for International Business, and is Executive Officer of the Foundation for the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative of Chevron Corporation. Prior to joining Bechtel, he was Manager for Corporate Responsibility at Chevron where he developed and directed implementation of Chevron’s human rights policy. He also concurrently served as Chair of the Social Responsibility Working Group of IPIECA, a global oil and gas association.

Christopher P. Skroupa: Are regulatory measures, such as the UK Modern Slavery Act, a panacea for solving labor and human rights issues?

Tam Nguyen: A smart mix of government policies–with sufficient capacities to implement them–together with company processes and programs are steps in the right direction. Labor and human rights in supply chains can be expansive and complex.  A philosophy of engagement that involves both companies and other stakeholders, including multi-stakeholder initiatives, can improve this issue by building a community of interest around systemic changes.

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