The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were adopted 10 years ago. States have the duty to protect human rights, whereas companies have the duty to respect human rights.

The European Commission has committed to propose a human rights and environmental due diligence legislation in the first half of 2021. The European Parliament is foreseen to decide its position and expectations concerning this proposal on the 10th of March.

The European Union wants to provide a level playing field for companies and place equal obligations to all actors in the EU single market to ensure that all value chains are free of risks on human rights, environment and good governance. European consumers expect to have certainty that their purchases are not linked or contribute to human rights violations, deforestation or the climate and biodiversity crisis. 

This webinar brought together different actors to discuss the key elements of an effective human rights and environmental due diligence legislation and introduced the diverse array of EU instruments, their legal coherence and synergies to ensure the sustainability of the European private sector and its value chains. Speakers included two commissioners, key MEPs working with sustainable and responsible business initiatives, as well as NGO and company representatives.