What happens when you lose control of the meaning of your brand? What do you do if people decide you’re the opposite of what you believe you are? Nightmare, right? That’s what’s happening to human rights… 

In the last 15 years, the world has turned, and the United Nations’ idealistic post-war plan has been rebranded by opponents and opportunists. In our evermore divided and suspicious society, the public perception of human rights is shifting from a universally accepted code of tolerance, openness and respect to a manual for political correctness gone mad, or a tool to protect terrorists. In fact, recent research shows that only 26% of the UK population believe human rights are a good thing for everyone in society.

If there’s an organisation out there that has a chance of reclaiming the true meaning of human rights and defending their place at the heart of our way of life, it’s the Equality & Human Rights Commission. Over the past year, we’ve been lucky enough to work with them, to help them do just that. Undivided’s role has been to craft a new purpose, belief and story for the EHRC, fit for these challenging times and designed to help them change the conversation about human rights.

Check out The Equality & Human Rights Commission

We stand up for freedom, compassion and justice in our changing times

When everyone gets a fair chance in life, we all thrive

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We are the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We’re here to stand up for freedom, compassion and justice in our changing times. We do it by promoting and upholding equality and human rights ideals and laws across England, Scotland and Wales. Our work is driven by a simple belief; when everyone gets a fair chance in life, we all thrive.

Universal human rights have been with us since the end of the Second World War, a time when people drew a line in the sand and decided to try and set out a blueprint for a better world. The principles of human rights have deep roots, built on values we can all recognise – things like open mindedness and respect for human dignity, giving others the benefit of the doubt and being fair and decent to one another. This way of thinking has stood the test of time; evolving, adapting and helping to guide us through years of extraordinary change towards a more equal and prosperous society. A society with more opportunity for more people.

As we face a future of faster and deeper change – with all the possibilities, pressures and uncertainty that brings – we believe the principles of human rights and equality are more important than ever. And it’s our job to keep these important principles alive and well, interpreting and reinterpreting them as the world changes, so that everyone in the country can make the most of their rights, everyone can be treated fairly, with dignity and respect and everyone has the chance to lead a fulfilling life. 

We use a wide range of different tools and techniques to do this; from harnessing the existing human rights and equality laws and our unique legal powers to defend people from unfair or unequal treatment, to preparing the ground and creating change through our specialist research and evidence base, our policy expertise and investment in behavioural science and communications.