On 29 April 2026, the Human Rights Colloquium hosted Dr. Caroline Lichuma to present her research titled “To Disclose or not to Disclose, that is the Question“.
Event recap
Her presentation investigated whether mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) laws can successfully contribute to the democratization of the economy and shift corporate governance away from stakeholder primacy. Dr. Lichuma highlighted a core “transparency paradox” where companies are legally required to “know and show” compliance, yet limit disclosure to mitigate legal risks, reputational damage, and competitive concerns. Often, internal compliance officers want to be transparent but are structurally constrained, proving that corporations are fragmented entities where internal actors often lack access to vital information.
The subsequent discussion analysed the systemic barriers to achieving economic democracy and a just economy. Participants evaluated the transition from the LkSG to the CSDDD framework, noting how autocratic corporate value chains resist democratic integration and how silent grievance mechanisms often stem from a fear of retaliation.
This event was supported by funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, provided to the Chair for Human Rights Law at FAU.
Speaker Bio
Caroline Lichuma is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for Human Rights Erlangen Nuremberg (CHREN). Her current research critically analyses regulatory developments in Business and Human Rights. She received her PhD in International Human Rights Law (Summa cum laude) from the Georg-August University of Göttingen in Germany, her LLM in Public International Law from the New York University (Dean Graduate Scholar) and her LLB from the University of Nairobi. Caroline is a co-rapporteur of the International Law Association’s Business and Human Rights Committee and co-edits the Business and Human Rights Journal blog.
About the FAU CHREN Human Rights Colloquium
Organized by the FAU Research Center for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU CHREN), our inter- and transdisciplinary brings together scholars and practitioners to discuss current issues in human rights research and practice.
Colloquia are organised on a rolling basis and are co-convened by Dr. Janina Heaphy and Prof. Dr. Eva Pils. Events are invitation-only. Enquiries should be directed to the co-conveners and/or to humanrights@fau.de.
