Shift Project
Shift Project is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2011 that serves as the leading center of expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, advising governments, companies, financial institutions, sports bodies, and civil society on human rights due diligence, reporting, and remedy through frameworks, tools, and tailored advisory engagements.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Shift Project does
Shift Project is a US-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2011 by members of John Ruggie's drafting team following the unanimous endorsement of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) by the UN Human Rights Council. The organization is headquartered in New York City with additional senior advisor presence in London and operates across 30+ countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Oceania. Shift functions as the leading center of expertise on the UNGPs, advising governments, regional and international standard-setting bodies, companies, financial institutions, civil society organizations, trade unions, academic institutions, and sports bodies on how to embed human rights due diligence into corporate practice, policy, and reporting.
Shift's product surface consists of expert-authored frameworks, tools, and advisory engagements rather than software. Flagship offerings include the UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework (31-question disclosure standard), Valuing Respect (a multi-stakeholder platform launched in 2018 to evaluate corporate human rights performance across six focus areas), the Living Wage Accounting Model and Progress Tool (developed with Capitals Coalition), and Just Transition Metrics (sector-agnostic indicators for assessing the social impacts of climate transition, developed in 2026 with BSR, WBCSD, BHRRC, World Benchmarking Alliance, LSE Just Transition Finance Lab, and Council for Inclusive Capitalism). The organization also runs the Business Learning Program, the Financial Institutions Practitioners Circle, and tailored advisory engagements that focus on building partner capacity rather than performing work on partners' behalf.
Revenue is generated primarily through grants and donations from foundations and governments, supplemented by mission-aligned advisory engagements and multi-year partnerships with enterprises and financial institutions. Distribution is direct: field-led advisory partnerships, public free distribution of publications for non-commercial use, and engagement with standard-setting bodies such as EU institutions, ISSB, EFRAG, and OECD. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired since May 2022 by former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, with leadership including President and co-founder Caroline Rees and Vice President and co-founder Rachel Davis, who also chairs FIFA's independent Human Rights Advisory Board. Shift does not have venture or private equity backing and operates as an independent mission-driven entity.
Shift Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shift Project
- Legal name
- Shift Project Ltd.
- Website
- https://shiftproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shift Project is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2011 that serves as the leading center of expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, advising governments, companies, financial institutions, sports bodies, and civil society on human rights due diligence, reporting, and remedy through frameworks, tools, and tailored advisory engagements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shift Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Human Rights Advisory and Consulting
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH)
Keywords
Where Shift Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Shift Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Shift is a US-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates primarily through donations and grants from foundations, governments, and other funders.
- Advisory Services: Shift provides advisory support to businesses, governments, and other stakeholders, though they differ from consultancies by ensuring projects align with their mission and building partner capacity rather than doing work for them.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free resources and publications |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Advisory and partnership services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Shift Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shift Project is a non-profit center of expertise that helps governments, companies, financial institutions, and civil society embed respect for human rights into laws, policies, and business practice in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It delivers advisory partnerships, the Business Learning Program, frameworks (including the UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework and Valuing Respect), and tools such as the Living Wage Accounting Model, alongside sector-specific guidance on human rights due diligence and remedy.
Product overview
Shift Project is a mission-driven non-profit organization (not a software product company) that serves as the leading center of expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Their offerings consist of advisory services, frameworks, publications, and tools rather than traditional software products. Key offerings include: Valuing Respect (a collaborative platform to evaluate corporate human rights performance), the Living Wage Accounting Model and Progress Tool, the UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework, and various human rights due diligence resources and guidance. They also provide training, capacity building programs, and advisory services to companies, governments, standard setters, financial institutions, and civil society organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Valuing Respect: A flagship collaborative platform launched in 2018 to develop better and more meaningful ways to evaluate corporate human rights performance.
- Financial Institutions Practitioners Circle
- Business Learning Program
Products and services
- Valuing Respect Collaborative platform developed by Shift to research and co-create better and more meaningful ways to evaluate corporate human rights performance, focusing on reconnecting to outcomes for people rather than only policies and processes. Targeted at standard setters, companies, investors, and civil society seeking more meaningful human rights evaluation methods.
- Living Wage Accounting Model and Progress Tool Accounting model developed in partnership with the Capitals Coalition to help companies assess and disclose corporate progress toward achieving living wages. Targeted at companies, investors, and standard setters working on living wage and human rights disclosure.
- UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework Comprehensive guidance for companies on human rights reporting, laying out 31 questions for companies to answer about how they are managing human rights. Developed by Shift and adopted globally as a basis for corporate human rights disclosure.
- Human Rights Due Diligence Resources and Guidance Practical guidance, frameworks, and tools to help companies implement human rights due diligence in line with the UN Guiding Principles, including sector-specific guidance and training materials. Targeted at companies, governments, financial institutions, and civil society organizations.
- Business Learning Program Program offering workshops and capacity-building for businesses on human rights due diligence aligned with the UNGPs, led by Shift's Business Learning Program Director David Vermijs. Targeted at companies seeking to build internal capacity to operationalize the UNGPs.
- Financial Institutions Practitioners Circle A practitioner-focused space for banks and export credit agencies to discuss common human rights challenges and co-create solutions, convened by Shift. Targeted at financial institutions seeking peer engagement and guidance on UNGPs implementation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Shift has worked with partners across all continents, including major global companies, financial institutions, governments, and sports bodies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Shift Project
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Shift Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Shift Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Business and Human Rights CentrecoreCollaborated with BHRRC along with other organizations to build consensus around Just Transition metrics that assess the 'justness' of climate transition.
- Business for Social ResponsibilitycoreCollaborated with BSR along with other organizations to develop sector-agnostic metrics for just transition assessment.
- World Benchmarking AlliancecorePartnered in the development of consensus around Just Transition metrics for assessing corporate climate transition impacts on people.
- World Business Council for Sustainable DevelopmentcoreCollaborated with WBCSD alongside other organizations to create metrics for assessing the social dimensions of climate transition.
- LSE Just Transition Finance LabcorePartnered in developing quantitative metrics for measuring just transition outcomes, bringing academic rigor to the framework.
- Council for Inclusive CapitalismcoreCollaborated on development of Just Transition metrics aligned with inclusive capitalism principles.
- United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human RightscoreShift works closely with OHCHR on interpretation and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles. OHCHR published the official Interpretive Guide on the corporate responsibility to respect human rights with Shift's support.
- International Olympic CommitteeflagshipShift, through its Vice President's role as Chair of FIFA's independent Human Rights Advisory Board and collaboration with former UN Human Rights Chief Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, provides strategic recommendations on human rights to the IOC.
- FIFAflagshipShift's Vice President serves as Chair of FIFA's independent Human Rights Advisory Board. Shift provided recommendations on human rights strategy for FIFA, including addressing risks to migrant workers connected to the FIFA World Cup.
- OxfamcoreCollaborated with Oxfam and UN Global Compact Local Networks to develop guidance on the responsibility to respect human rights in multiple countries including Mexico, Turkey, and Indonesia.
- UN Global CompactcorePartnered with UN Global Compact Local Networks to develop guidance on business and human rights responsibility across multiple geographies.
- Mazars LLPcoreCollaboration on ungpreporting.org and joint development of assurance guidance for internal auditors and external assurance practitioners to assess companies' human rights performance and reporting.
- International Council on Mining and MetalscoreConducted country-level stakeholder engagement in Peru to inform ICMM's updated guidance on grievance mechanisms for its members.
- CDC GroupcoreUK's development finance institution partnered with Shift to build capacity of private equity managers and businesses in North Africa and Ethiopia to prevent and address human rights risks.
- Equator Principles AssociationcoreShift partnered with EPA's Working Group on development of due diligence tools to enhance access to grievance mechanisms and enable effective remedy in project finance transactions.
- Export Development CanadacoreSupported Export Development Canada to strengthen its work on human rights at both strategic and operational levels.
- Thai Government Pension FundcoreCollaborated with Thai Government Pension Fund on capacity-building workshop on UN Guiding Principles.
- Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EUflagshipSupported the Finnish Presidency in convening a flagship conference in 2019 on the UNGPs and developing an Agenda for Action at EU level.
- UK Equality and Human Rights CommissioncoreDeveloped a five-step guide with the Commission to help UK board directors show leadership in ensuring businesses fulfill their responsibility to respect human rights.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Shift Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Environmental Resources Management (ERM): Global sustainability consultancy running a dedicated human rights practice (Shift Senior Advisor Francesca de Meillac previously led ERM's UK human rights team); competes for corporate human rights due diligence mandates at greater scale.
- Ernst & Young (EY) Sustainability Services: Big Four advisory practice offering human rights and ESG due diligence services to corporates and financial institutions; broader and better-resourced than Shift, competing for similar mandates (Shift's Financial Institutions Lead previously founded EY's Human Rights Network).
- Mazars LLP: International audit and advisory firm partnering with Shift on ungpreporting.org and human rights assurance guidance; broader assurance capability but overlapping on human rights reporting and audit work.
Direct peers
- BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Global nonprofit consultancy advising companies on human rights, sustainability, and ESG; overlaps directly with Shift on UNGPs implementation, human rights due diligence, and Just Transition work where they co-developed the Just Transition metrics.
- Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB): International nonprofit focused on business and human rights, advising companies, governments, and investors on UNGPs implementation; closest comparable to Shift in mission, scale, and global footprint.
- Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR): National human rights institution that runs a major Human Rights and Business programme, providing tools, guidance, and assessment services on business respect for human rights comparable to Shift's offerings.
- International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR): Civil society coalition focused on ensuring corporate accountability for human rights abuses, working on mandatory due diligence legislation and corporate policy advocacy alongside Shift's standard-setter engagement.
Emerging players
- Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI): UK-based alliance of companies, trade unions, and NGOs promoting workers' rights in supply chains; overlaps with Shift on supply chain human rights due diligence and worker voice (Shift's Senior Advisor Francesca de Meillac previously worked at ETI).
- World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA): Nonprofit that publishes corporate human rights benchmarks (e.g., Corporate Human Rights Benchmark); complements Shift's work by translating UNGPs into public corporate rankings and collaborated on Just Transition metrics.
Others
- Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC): Independent NGO operating a global hub tracking over 9,000 companies' human rights records; collaborates with Shift on Just Transition metrics and functions as an information infrastructure layer rather than direct advisory competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shift Project social profiles
Digital presenceShift Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shift Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Shift Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shift Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shift Project
What does Shift Project do?
Shift Project is a non-profit center of expertise that helps governments, companies, financial institutions, and civil society embed respect for human rights into laws, policies, and business practice in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It delivers advisory partnerships, the Business Learning Program, frameworks (including the UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework and Valuing Respect), and tools such as the Living Wage Accounting Model, alongside sector-specific guidance on human rights due diligence and remedy.
Is Shift Project a public or private company?
Shift Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Shift Project founded?
Shift Project was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shift Project based?
Shift Project is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shift Project make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are advisory Services.
Who are Shift Project's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Environmental Resources Management (ERM), Ernst & Young (EY) Sustainability Services and Mazars LLP. Direct peers are BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB), Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) and International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR). Emerging players are Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA). Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) is listed as an others.
Does Shift Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shift Project.
What industry is Shift Project in?
Shift Project's product category is Human Rights Advisory and Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAGAH, Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8300.