The UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights has launched a new inquiry into forced labour in UK supply chains. This review will assess the effectiveness of the UK's legal and voluntary frameworks, including the Modern...more
On 19 November 2024, a new EU regulation prohibiting products made with forced labour from being sold on the Union market (the "Forced Labour Regulation") was formally adopted by the Council of the European Union. This was...more
Due to the increased importance of sustainability, environmental protection and social factors in recent years, the luxury industry has found itself at a crossroads of tradition and transformation. Once characterized...more
9/3/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Compliance ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
False Statements ,
Fashion Industry ,
Greenwashing ,
Human Rights ,
Luxury Goods ,
Misleading Statements ,
Pollution Control ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
SFDR ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability
After a two-and-half-year legislative journey, the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive ("CSDDD"), has been formally adopted, and was published in the EU Official Journal on 5 July 2024.1 It will come into...more
7/5/2024
/ Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Due Diligence ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Human Rights ,
New Rules ,
Penalties ,
Popular ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability
Faced with increased scrutiny by consumers, regulators, shareholders and boards, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations have been at the forefront for multinational companies globally. Multinational...more
3/7/2024
/ Asia Pacific ,
Australia ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Greenwashing ,
North Korea ,
Popular ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Singapore ,
Sustainability ,
UK
The European Union has adopted a new regulation to curb the EU market's impact on global deforestation and forest degradation around the world, as well as protecting the rights of indigenous peoples. The EU Deforestation...more
The United States, the European Union, and Germany have recently adopted or proposed new rules requiring enhanced due diligence in supply chains, targeting human rights and environmental issues. This alert examines key...more
2/24/2023
/ Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Compliance ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Due Diligence ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Forced Labor ,
Germany ,
Human Rights ,
Imports ,
Penalties ,
Popular ,
Proposed Rules ,
Supply Chain ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) ,
Withhold Release Orders (WROs)
The German Act on Due Diligence in Supply Chains (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz, "LkSG") came into force on 1 January 2023 and imposes new obligations for supply chain due diligence. In parallel, the European legal...more
A look at three key regulatory developments in the EU and US - proposed EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and Reporting Directives and US SEC Climate Change Disclosure Rules...more
7/15/2022
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Counsel ,
CSDR ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Sustainability
On 23 February 2022, the European Commission ("Commission") issued its long-awaited Proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence to tackle human rights and environmental impacts across global value...more
As part of the EU Green Deal, existing EU legislation on batteries will be modernized so that all batteries on the EU market will be "sustainable, high-performing and safe all along their entire life cycle". This initiative...more
On 10 March, the European Parliament (the "Parliament") passed a legislative initiative (the "Parliament Initiative") for an EU directive on Mandatory Human Rights, Environmental and Good Governance Due Diligence ("MHRDD")...more
The UK Supreme Court has issued the latest in a series of landmark decisions on parent company liability under English law for claims alleging environmental damage and human rights abuses.
In a unanimous reversal of the...more
2/23/2021
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Due Diligence ,
Duty of Care ,
Environmental Violations ,
Foreign Subsidiaries ,
Human Rights ,
Internal Controls ,
Nigeria ,
Parent Corporation ,
UK Supreme Court ,
Zambia
In September 2020, the UK and the EU announced initiatives to strengthen human rights due diligence and reporting. The UK Home Office will bolster the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA) to enhance transparency in both the...more
Thoughtful business participation in benchmark reviews.
If one or more human rights and ESG benchmarks review—or could soon review—your industry, it may make business sense to participate thoughtfully and/or disclose...more
As corporate responsibility evolves, and the focus on corporate sustainability grows, more businesses in the mining and metals and related sectors are referencing the long-term potential of blockchain technology and platforms...more
10/22/2019
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Automotive Industry ,
Blockchain ,
Compliance ,
Conflict Mineral Rules ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Extractive Industry Transparency Rule ,
Human Rights ,
Innovative Technology ,
Internet of Things ,
Metals ,
Minerals ,
Mining ,
Popular ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Transparency
Tech companies of U.S. origin tend to have compliance programs focused on U.S. laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the "FCPA") and relevant tax and labor laws. The UK has enacted laws covering bribery and...more
2/8/2019
/ Bribery ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Misconduct ,
Corruption ,
Criminal Liability ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Due Diligence ,
Extraterritoriality Rules ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Modern Slavery Act ,
Risk Assessment ,
Strict Liability ,
Tax Evasion ,
Technology Sector ,
UK ,
UK Bribery Act ,
UK Criminal Finances Act 2017