The imminent decision by the European Union to postpone for a year its complex and multi‑faceted sustainability law, the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), is something of a surprise. The EUDR requires, among other things, due...more
With calm being restored after the frenzied effort in the EU to pass the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), it may be time to evaluate the extent to which the law as adopted has met its original...more
With great fanfare, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) will soon become law in the EU. As many have commented – and we have written about repeatedly for four years (see here, here, here and here for...more
After months of discussion – and years of development – on December 14, 2023, the European Council and the Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CSDDD”). The...more
While California’s Climate Accountability Package has received much recent attention, another California climate disclosure bill targeting corporate greenwashing was also signed into law on October 7, 2023, and its...more
As we transition into an era of human rights due diligence mandated by regulation, many in the business and human rights community are nervously asking the same question. Will a company’s steps to identify and address actual...more
11/14/2023
/ Corruption ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Parliament ,
Forced Labor ,
Governance Standards ,
Human Rights ,
Supply Chain ,
Undue Influence Claims ,
United Nations
Three years ago, as part of the EU’s initiative on sustainable governance, the European Commission released a lengthy study on directors’ duties. The study affirmed what many already understood: corporate decision makers face...more
8/21/2023
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Duty of Care ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Green Deal ,
Human Rights ,
Modern Slavery Act ,
OECD ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholders ,
Sustainability ,
Transparency
While it might seem counterintuitive, as business and human rights continues a sprint toward a mandatory paradigm, voluntary multi-stakeholder initiatives (“MSIs”) are perhaps more important than ever before. MSIs provide...more
A European legislative initiative aimed at requiring companies to undertake human rights and environmental due diligence is gradually but steadily making its way through the EU institutions.
Previously, on March 10, 2021, the...more
The European Union’s Draft Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CSDDD”) continues to generate ample attention and feedback. At its core, the proposed directive seeks to apply the due diligence formula of the UN...more
The Norwegian Transparency Act, a broad law mandating that covered companies conduct human rights-related due diligence for their operations and supply chains, went into effect in July 2022. The ambitious law is part of a...more
The explosion of global business and human rights continued to resonate across the globe in 2022. Some of the business and human rights trends have been evident and growing for several years; others are relatively new. Many...more
12/29/2022
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Anti-SLAPP ,
Biometric Information ,
Corporate Governance ,
DNA ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Forced Labor ,
Free Trade Agreements ,
General Assembly ,
Greenwashing ,
Human Rights ,
Popular ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Transparency ,
UNESCO ,
United Nations
As the European Union (“EU”) continues to debate whether downstream responsibilities will fall within the contours of its hefty Corporate Sustainability Mandatory Due Diligence Directive (“CSMDD”), and the EU Council just...more
12/5/2022
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Corporate Governance ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Forced Labor ,
Human Rights ,
Human Trafficking ,
Modern Slavery Act ,
OECD ,
RICO ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
UK ,
United Nations
On June 21, 2022, the Council of the European Union (“European Council”) and European Parliament (“Parliament”) reached a provisional political agreement on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”). A copy of...more