In this talk Professor Martin-Ortega proposes that States use their buying power to combat human rights abuses in supply chains- not just addressing economic inequalities in our own societies through public procurement, but seeking to restructure global production systems, supply chains which trap people in situations of abuse and endless cycles of human rights violations. To push public procurement further on its own journey from a buying process to social tool, to make it into a transformative instrument beyond our borders. She leads the Business Human Rights and the Enviroment Research Group (BHRE). She has been researching business and human rights for over ten years. She has also undertaken extensive research in the areas of post-conflict reconstruction, transitional justice and international criminal law.

In particular she researches on business and human rights, sustainable public procurement, post-conflict reconstruction, transitional justice and international criminal law. In the area of business and human rights her research has considered the roles and responsibilities of multinational corporations, with regards to the protection and respect of human rights and the tools available in International law to hold them to account when they participate in human rights violations. Her research has also included work on post-conflict reconstruction and justice after mass atrocities committed during armed conflicts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx