Why the name “Sherpa”?

The Sherpa, a mountain people from Nepal, are guides renowned for their endurance, agility and bravery; they are so reliable that their name has become synonymous with “carrier.” Like the Sherpa, our association aims to guide and support victims of economic crimes in their pursuit of justice.
Who we are

Sherpa, a Paris-based association governed by the law of 1901, was set up in 2001 to protect and defend victims of economic crimes.

The association gathers legal experts and lawyers from diverse backgrounds and works closely with many civil society organizations around the world.

Sherpa’s activities also rely on the generous support of volunteers, interns and lawyers who work pro bono.

What we do

Vision and mission

Sherpa believes the law to be a valuable tool for promoting development and uses its skills and legal expertise to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Programmes

> Globalization and human rights

The European Commission defines Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as “a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis” (“Green Paper on corporate social responsibility,” 2001.)

For Sherpa, such a position is inadequate. Therefore, it strongly advocates for the establishment of a binding legal framework for transnational corporations.

> Illicit financial flows and development

Whether linked to corruption or to tax evasion by multinational corporations, illicit financial flows constitute a major challenge to development. They reduce the amount of resources available for essential public services and worsen the debt burden of governments, particularly in developing countries. The situation is such that even today, the majority of governments in developing countries fail to fulfil the most basic human needs.

SHERPA conducts campaigns that aim at denouncing these illicit financial flows.

Tools of action

> Legal aid

Sherpa uses its network of legal experts and lawyers to support victims of economic crimes.

The association uses a variety of legal tools, from negotiation to soft law instruments (such as the OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises) and legal proceedings.

> Research & advocacy

As a think tank, Sherpa develops new legal tools and conducts advocacy campaigns with economic actors and public authorities to promote better regulation of commercial activities and transnational financial flows.

> Education & training

Because it believes that transmitting knowledge promotes development, Sherpa organizes awareness workshops with civil society organizations to awaken them to the challenges related to economic crime and to give them tools to combat it.