When the topic of child labour is raised, it is very often confined to cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire or mineral extraction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While child labour is undeniably more present in specific industries and countries, it should not be automatically excluded from human rights risk analysis as soon as operations and value chains are located in Western countries, let alone in the United States (US). Contrary to what some (European) managers may think, child labour does exist in the United States and is far from being limited to one or two small companies. As the former Secretary of Labour Marty Walsh said, child labour in the United States “is not a 19th century problem, this is a today problem”.
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2023 OECD Guidelines for Multinationals update
On June 8, 2023, the OECD released the update of the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct (OECD Guidelines), reviewing the 2011 version to respond to urgent social, environmental and technological priorities facing societies and businesses. Key updates include recommendations for companies to align with internationally agreed goals on climate change and biodiversity, expanded due diligence recommendations to all forms of corruption and recommendations on disclosure of responsible business conduct information.
Read moreHow can Brexit prevent victims of corporate human rights abuses from accessing justice?
On May 4, 2021, the European Commission expressed its opposition to UK’s accession to the Lugano Convention, treaty to which the UK was until recently a party via its EU membership. NGOs, academics and experts strongly criticise the Commission’s stance as prohibiting the UK to re-join the convention may have adverse consequences for victims of corporate human rights abuses seeking justice in the UK.
Continue reading “How can Brexit prevent victims of corporate human rights abuses from accessing justice?”New EU Regulation imposing sanctions on companies involved in serious human rights violations worldwide
On December 7, 2020, the Council of the European Union adopted Regulation 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses.
Read moreTowards EU mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence for business
Investors’ call to enforce mandatory human rights due diligence
On April 21, 2020, a group of 101 international investors representing US$5 trillion in assets under management have, in a common statement, called on “all governments to develop, implement, and enforce mandatory human rights due diligence requirements for companies headquartered or operating within their own jurisdictions”.
Read moreCompanies calling for EU regulation on due diligence on business and human rights !
On December 2, 2019, some of the world’s largest chocolate companies called the European Union (EU) to adopt a regulation placing a due diligence obligation on all companies importing cocoa or cocoa products on the European market.
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