Global Employment Institute (GEI)

The International Bar Association Global Employment Institute (IBA GEI) was formed in early 2010 for the purpose of developing a global and strategic approach to the main legal issues in the human resources and human capital fields for multinationals and worldwide institutions.

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About the Institute

The IBA GEI works with the Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee, the Discrimination and Equality Law Committee and the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee to form the Human Resources Section.

Drawing on the wealth and resource of the IBA membership, the IBA GEI's skilled, dedicated and experienced members provide a unique employment, discrimination and immigration law contribution to private and public organisations throughout the world on a diverse range of global issues. This is designed to enhance the management, performance and productivity of those organisations and to achieve best practice in their human capital and management functions in a strategic perspective.

IBA GEI’s activities include:

Reports on global and strategic HR legal issues;
Reports on the impact of market and business trends on international HR legal practice;
Research and analysis on key issues affecting management and human capital functions within multinationals;
Strategic commentary and opinions on discrete areas of employment, discrimination and immigration practice and their relevance to current business trends;
Providing commentary to proposed new or reformed government legislation on major HR legal issues;
Commentary and analysis on strategic management and HR legal issues affecting certain globalised industries and market sectors;
Training and education of HR professionals and managers on strategic and global HR issues;
Together with the IBA’s Employment and Industrial Relations Law, Discrimination Law, and Immmigration and Nationality Law Committees, organising conference sessions on global and strategic employment and HR legal issues of topical interest.

The IBA Global Employment Institute is becoming the leading voice and authority on global HR issues by virtue of having a number of the world's leading labour and employment practitioners in its ranks, and the support and resource of the world's largest association of international lawyers.

Join the IBA Global Employment Institute! If you are not yet a member of the IBA Global Employment Institute, we encourage you to join and benefit from all the IBA GEI has to offer.

Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences

IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025

02 Nov - 07 Nov 2025

Toronto , Canada

IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026

04 Oct - 09 Oct 2026

Copenhagen , Denmark

Projects and Reports

Digitalisation (Artificial Intelligence and Robotics) and its Impact on the World of Work

Part II of the report Digitalisation (Artificial Intelligence and Robotics) and its Impact on the World of Work explores the extensive and complex impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics on the global labour market. As AI systems advance rapidly, they introduce both opportunities for productivity and risks of job displacement. The report identifies generative AI as a general-purpose technology (GPT), capable of transforming various industries akin to the steam engine or the internet by increasing efficiency, automating content creation and fostering innovation in automated services and business models.

The impact of automation across sectors reveals that routine tasks and roles are most vulnerable. Significant shifts are expected in office work, customer service and production, while sectors such as IT, healthcare and engineering may experience job growth driven by new technological demands. Future AI advancements, including large action models (LAMs), are poised to enhance AI’s capacity to automate complex tasks, pushing industries like transportation and customer care toward greater autonomy.

From a regulatory standpoint, there is a pressing need for adaptive, international legal frameworks to address labour and employment issues arising from rapid technological change. Key policy recommendations include the development of guidelines for employee data protection, fair monitoring practices, and the modernisation of social security systems to accommodate workers in non-traditional roles, such as gig and platform workers.

Economic inequalities are likely to be exacerbated by AI adoption, with advanced economies benefiting more due to substantial investments in AI, thereby widening the gap with emerging markets. To mitigate this, prioritising digital literacy, lifelong learning and both public and private investments in workforce adaptability are essential. Furthermore, the need for flexibility in labour policies, coupled with a societal shift toward greater acceptance of AI, is crucial to facilitate the effective adaptation of workers and industries to ongoing and future digital transformations.

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Twelfth Annual Global Report

Political and environmental factors, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the climate crisis, are together reshaping employment landscapes around the world. In the twelfth annual report from the International Bar Association Global Employment Institute – based on data from lawyers in 54 countries – issues such as the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the shift towards remote work and the challenge of skilled labour shortages are identified as key areas for the human resources (HR) sector. Sustainability is also becoming increasingly relevant in terms of HR management.

Eleventh Annual Global Report

Employers and governments across the world are paying greater attention to sustainability and the promotion of ethical business, states the eleventh annual report from the International Bar Association Global Employment Institute (IBA GEI). Issues such as environmental responsibility, sustainability and mental health in the workplace are identified as key areas for the human resources (HR) sector.

Tenth Annual Global Report

Issues connected to the ‘new normal’ way of working following the global COVID-19 outbreak present fresh challenges for human resources (HR) law, according to the tenth annual report by the International Bar Association Global Employment Institute (IBA GEI). Remote working arrangements, the right to disconnect from work and data privacy challenges related to requirements to be tested or vaccinated are identified as three key issues facing the HR sector in the aftermath of the pandemic.

International Bar Association is incorporated as a Not-for-Profit Corporation under the laws of the State of New York in the United States of America and is registered with the Department of State of the State of New York with registration number 071114000655 - and the liability of its members is limited. Its registered address in New York is c/o Capitol Services Inc, 1218 Central Avenue, Suite 100, Albany, New York 12205.

The London office of International Bar Association is registered in England and Wales as a branch with registration number FC028342.