ETI will be leading this session at UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
Progressive corporate leaders see the business benefits of addressing human rights comprehensively - going beyond risk management and compliance systems. In this session, we assess what ‘good’ due diligence looks like from the perspectives of suppliers, retailers and unions and ask:
• What practical leverage do retailers have when identifying human rights challenges with their suppliers?
• How much do retailers take account of their suppliers’ capacity and constraints?
• Are retailers adjusting their business models and practices to manage human rights risks more effectively?
• Where there aren’t effective government regulations to create a level playing field, how do ‘responsible’ suppliers compete with those who won’t play by the same rules?
• Why are companies so nervous about trade unions?
• Are unions adapting to rapidly changing, complex supply chains?
• Can negotiating with worker representatives directly offer a better alternative to audits for preventing human rights violations?