Starting a new job in lockdown certainly has its challenges – just ask Macquarie Law School’s new recruit Professor Surya Deva who joined the University in September from his current base in Hong Kong.

With the international borders reopening this week, Surya – internationally recognised for his work in business and human rights – can look forward to soon joining us on the Macquarie campus.

1. Something you’d like staff to know about
I research about the interface of business and human rights. Adopting a rightsholders’ perspective, I explore how to minimise negative impacts of corporations in society and maximise their positive contributions in the service of both people and the planet.

2. Something people ask you when they find out what you do for a living
“Business and human rights? Really, is this not an oxymoron?”

3. Something you have recently accomplished
It is satisfying to see that the Business and Human Rights Journal – a Cambridge journal that I co-founded in 2015 –  is ranked 14th in terms of citations in Google Scholar’s 2021 ranking of international law journals.

4. A favourite photo from your camera roll
I took this picture of the Taranto steel plant in October, during a country visit to Italy in my capacity as Chairperson of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights. The smoke from the plant chimney shows an ongoing challenge in striking a balance between development and the environment. I often wonder whether we would ever realise sustainable development in practice.

5. A moment you felt proud
Having my parents in Geneva to see me presenting a report to the UN Human Rights Council.

6. What you need to do your best work
Walking, jogging, travelling and lots of water to drink.

7. Something you’ve read recently that has had an impact on you
William Dalrymple’s powerful historical account, The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire, shows how corporations have been abusing power and exploiting people for centuries. This raises serious questions about the very form and purpose of corporations in society.

8. What you like about where you live
I joined Macquarie in September, but I’m still working remotely from Hong Kong, one of the most efficient and safest cities in the world. I am looking forward to returning to Sydney soon and living in a more multicultural environment with beautiful beaches!

9. A personal quality you value in others
Honesty – and related elements of integrity and willingness to speak truth to power.

10. Your definition of success
Making a positive social contribution in some way – be it offering help or giving advice to someone in need, or contributing to problem solving.