Report of the Advisory Panel on the Governance of Human Rights Organizations

The panel was convened to examine a central inquiry of critical importance: “Should a non-profit human rights organization face legal or ethical concerns if a former board member, upon completing their tenure or resigning, is employed by the organization, or if a company owned partly or wholly by that individual is retained by the organization? If concerns exist, what are they, and how can they be effectively resolved?” This question guided the panel’s work, inviting a thorough exploration of the potential ethical, legal, and governance issues arising when former board members continued their involvement with an organization in different capacities. The panel's mandate was to provide actionable recommendations that could guide human rights organizations globally in addressing these challenges, with a particular focus on safeguarding transparency, accountability, and public trust.