Ahead of the Finnish EU Presidency’s business and human rights event today, 100 civil society organisations & trade unions have just signed a letter calling on the European Union to develop 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 includes Clean Clothes, Friends of the Earth, WWF and Oxfam as well as many leading global unions. Ben Vanpeperstraete, at Clean Clothes Campaign, said: “The coalition observes that decades of voluntary corporate social responsibility initiatives have failed to adequately protect human rights and the environment from problems such as forced labour and deforestation. Services and goods linked to environmental damage and human rights abuses have been continuously found in products and services in the EU.”

The coalition is calling on the European Commission to introduce legislation establishing a corporate duty to respect human rights, the environment, and hold them to account for potential abuses and harm in their global supply chains. In theory, such legislation could help companies and financial institutions prevent potential risks and ensure fair competition for European companies who act responsibly.

Read more: https://www.antislavery.org/100-organisations-eu-law/