Slag from a copper mine in Zambia
Copyright© Ute Grabowsky / photothek.net
Conference Ensuring an impactful EU due diligence legislation – The CSDD Directive from a development policy perspective
Recording of the conference “Ensuring an impactful EU due diligence legislation”
Recording: https://youtu.be/NZwWx0o5QLQ (External link)
Worker at Siemens do Brasil
Copyright© Thomas Trutschel/photothek.net
In February this year, the European Commission presented its long-awaited proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD Directive). It aims to anchor human rights and environmental standards in business activities along global value chains, in line with international frameworks and inspired by national regulations of European Member States in recent years, such as the German Supply Chain Act of 2021 (External link). As declared in its coalition agreement, the German government is committed to support an effective EU due diligence legislation.
To ensure that the Directive has a positive impact on developing countries, the requirements must go hand in hand with accompanying measures, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Against this background, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is hosting an international event on Monday, 26 September 2022, to discuss the European draft legislation from a development policy perspective, including necessary accompanying measures and prerequisites for an effective implementation of the legislation.
Join us to discuss the following questions:
- How can the CSDD Directive improve working and living conditions along global value chains, particularly in developing countries?
- Which actions are expected from the EU and its Member States to support stakeholders along global value chains?
- What constitutes an effective smart mix of accompanying measures at EU level?
The event is closely linked to the BMZ Conference “From ambition to implementation: Scaling successful approaches to living wages in textile supply chains” on the following day, which will continue the discussion on how to improve working and living conditions along global value chains and aims to strengthen international cooperation on the way towards living wages.
Monday, 26 September 2022 Agenda
Moderation: Phil Bloomer, Executive Director, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC)
17:00–17:10 | Welcome and Keynote Dr. Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) |
17:15–17:45 | Perspectives from policy makers: ensuring an impactful directive How can the CSDD Directive improve working and living conditions along global value chains? Moderation: Elin Wrzoncki, Department Director for Business & Human Rights, Danish Institute for Human Rights
|
17:45–18:15 | Perspectives from the Global South: meeting expectations How can decision makers ensure that the CSDD Directive achieves the desired positive impact and avoid undesired side effects in the Global South? Moderation : Fernanda Hopenhaym Cabrera, Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
|
18:15–18:45 | Perspectives from practitioners: implementing effective support What constitutes an effective smart mix of accompanying measures at EU level? Moderation: Julia Otten, Policy Officer, Responsible Companies Team, Frank Bold
|
18:50–19:00 | Closing remarks Dr Carsten Stender, Director-General, European and International Employment and Social Policy, ESF, Digital Transformation, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany |
For any questions please contact CSDD-Conference@giz.de (External link)