Human Rights Due Diligence: New Laws for Global Supply Chains

Speaker: Garrett Brown, MPH, CIH

Due to the failure of voluntary self-regulation through corporate social responsibility programs to protect supply chain workers, governments in Europe and North America are enacting laws to require international brands to conduct “human rights due diligence” of their supply chains. The HRDD-related laws require transnational corporations to assess the adverse impacts of their operations, develop publicly-reported corrective action plans, and interact with affected communities and workers. These laws, controversial and uneven in their rigor and impact, are coming into effect now, and will shape the practice of occupational and environmental health professionals for years to come. The presentation will describe the history, content, and controversies surrounding HRDD laws, and their impact on industrial hygiene around the world.