17th May: APPG event for Parliamentarians
Levelling the playing field for UK companies: Mandatory supply chain due diligence to protect human rights and the environment
Host: All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group (PHRG)
Supported by: APPGs on Trade Justice, CAFOD, Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion, more TBC.
When? Drop-in event, 17 May 2023, 1230 - 1400
Where? Jubilee Room, House of Commons, Westminster
Invitees? Parliamentary passholders only
RSPV/Contact? pichen@parliament.uk
Please join us at this drop-in event for Parliamentarians to find out more about the emerging new global standard for regulating global supply chains: ‘mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence’; the new law proposed for the UK; and, those championing it.
Businesses, investors and civil society groups - including Anti-Slavery International, Aviva, Friends of the Earth, John Lewis Partnership and the Trades Union Congress - will be demonstrating their support for a new law to bring the UK into alignment with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the increasing number of countries adopting new due diligence laws.
Leading UK companies will also explain why they back the call for new UK legislation, which would, inter alia, level the playing field by mandating supply chain due diligence across, and increase legal certainty about the standards expected from, the business sector.
Participating organisations will be manning information booths – with free chocolate kindly donated by Tony’s Chocolonely and Mars, and there will be short presentations every 30 minutes.
Participating organisations: Anti-Slavery International, Aviva, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, CAFOD, Ethical Trading Initiative, Friends of the Earth, John Lewis Partnership, Marshalls PLC, the TUC, the UN Global Compact, with more TBC.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
A number of MPs and Peers from across parties have already signed a pledge committing to support a new UK law.
2022 G7 Leaders’ Communique: “We are committed to working towards an international consensus on business and human rights to strengthen compliance with international standards, including through mandatory measures that protect rights-holders.”
2022 UK statement signed by businesses, investors, business associations and initiatives including the John Lewis Partnership, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asos, Twinings, Aviva, the British Retail Consortium and the Ethical Trading Initiative: “We call for the UK government to urgently bring forward ambitious primary legislation to mandate companies to carry out human rights and environmental due diligence… The UK now has an opportunity to retain its leading role, rather than following the footsteps of others. Legislation can contribute to a competitive level playing field, increase legal certainty about the standards expected from companies, ensure consequences when responsibilities are not met, promote engagement and impactful actions between supply chain partners and, above all, incentivise impactful and effective action on the ground.”
2022 UK statement signed by investors representing over £4.5 trillion in assets under management, including Abdrn, Legal & General and CCLA: “The UK Government has an opportunity to play a leading, proactive role both within the G7, where mandatory due diligence is currently high on the agenda, and globally where UK companies operating internationally are facing a growing web of due diligence legislation.”