Companies and financial institutions should be legally bound to address human rights and environmental impact of their global operations and supply chains.

The article was originally published on Anti-Slavery International website.

Over 100 civil society organisations and trade unions have called on the European Union to develop effective legislation that would oblige companies and financial institutions to address the human rights and environmental impact of their global operations and supply chains.

The coalition is calling on the European Commission to introduce legislation establishing a corporate duty to respect human rights, the environment, and provide access to justice for victims of potential abuses. Such legislation could help companies and financial institutions prevent potential risks and ensure fair competition for European companies who act responsibly.

A so-called mandatory due diligence law would make companies and financial institutions legally obliged to identify, prevent, and mitigate, as well as hold them to account for potential abuses and harm in their domestic and global supply chains and operations.

Read the whole article here.

The call in full can be found here.