Thank you for raising your voice to hold business accountable!

Companies today are operating with impunity around the world. Too many of them wreck the environment, abuse workers’ and trade union rights, kick indigenous people off their land or support modern day slavery. Those who stand up to corporate abuses around the world are often fired from their jobs, thrown in jail, go missing or worse.

The European Commission is finally ready to consider a new law to hold businesses accountable for their impact on people and the planet. These rules on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence should require all companies, from fossil fuel giants and agribusiness to fashion retailers and electronics makers, to establish effective policies to make sure human rights and the environment are not being harmed in their global operations and supply chains.

What is “human rights and environmental due diligence”?

It is generally understood as the process for businesses to identify, prevent, reduce and account for the negative impacts of their activities or relationships, which often involve subsidiaries, subcontractors, suppliers and other economic transactions.

The Commission asked for your opinions on how to design new corporate due diligence rules that would hold business accountable.

A law to protect workers, people, and planet from bad business.

The EU can and must use its power to set ambitious standards in the fight to hold business accountable for things like union busting, forced labor, land grabbing or toxic waste dumping.

But for this law to work, it must:

Cover human rights, environmental and social impacts throughout the whole supply chain
Have teeth: companies must face strong penalties if they break the rules
Make companies liable for bad practices at home and abroad
Involve trade unions in the preparation of due diligence plans every step of the way
Make sure companies always consult with (potentially) affected communities and individuals – and in some cases get their consent
Make it easier for all victims of corporate abuse, trade unions, and civil society to seek justice in EU courts

145,173 people replied to the European Commission telling them to change the rules of the game to end corporate impunity and enforce human rights!

Thank you for helping us build pressure on the EU to hold business accountable!

Read the answers that are sent to the European Commission.