88 NGOs and trade unions launch an appeal for a European regulation making human rights and environmental due diligence mandatory

On 03 October 2019 a coalition of 88 NGOs and European trade union organizations (ETUC, Uni Europa, EFBWW, EPSU, EFFAT, ETF, and IndustriAll Europe) called for the adoption of a regulation that would establish a mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence framework for business, companies and financial institutions operating, or offering a product or service, within the EU. These more binding rules address the prevention and mitigation of risks that these rights may be breached as a result of businesses’ activities and those of their global supply chains, as well as avenues for remedy in cases of proven harm. Although the appeal recognizes that ‘Some businesses and financial institutions are already taking steps to meet their responsibility to respect human rights and the environment in their global operations, subsidiaries, portfolios and/or supply chains,’ it is arguing that many others are not doing enough to tackle abuses including modern slavery child labor, gender discrimination and violence, violations of trade unions’ and workers’ rights as well as corruption, tax evasion, pollution and a lack of respect for local communities.