LABOR RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF GERMAN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN DILIGENCE LEGISLATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64537/ridp.v10i18.1165Keywords:
Due Diligence, Supply Chains, Human rights, Labor rights, Transnational companyAbstract
The duty of due diligence, as outlined in Principle 17 of the OECD's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, has inspired new national regulations on supply chain due diligence in Northern countries. In 2021, Germany enacted the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, aiming to protect labour rights within its extensive transnational supply chains. This study examines the scope, breadth, obligations, and sanctions of the law, and presents critical perspectives on its potential impacts on German companies and their value chains. The study concludes that, despite its intentions, the law has gaps and, by itself, does not ensure the prevention of labor rights violations within the value chain.
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