Roundtable: Measuring the Effectiveness of Home State Regulatory Models on Corporate Behaviour

Event Details

Since the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in 2011, various national legislative developments are being aimed at turning the voluntary UNGPs into binding legal obligations for corporate human rights impacts within global supply chains. The leading examples of such laws are those of the UK, Germany, France, Norway, and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Although these laws are built on the concepts of the UNGPs, they each follow different models in terms of scope, types of duties imposed, and level of enforcement, and they are all enacted by the 'home states' of transnational corporations, namely those countries where the companies at the top end of global supply chains are based. The new laws introduce novel duties for companies regarding their external impacts on human rights in their global value chains. Our project, Human rights in global supply chains: Measuring the effectiveness of home state regulatory models on corporate behaviour - investigates and compares the effect of each of these home state legal models on corporate practice.

The effectiveness of the laws on corporate behaviour can be explored at least three ways - 1) compliance, 2) beyond compliance and 3) outcomes. In this roundtable discussion, we aim to explore the different ways that effectiveness can be defined and measured in terms of indicators that can be used to compare these models.

Also as part of this project, on the previous day (12th December), we will host an academic workshop comparing national human rights supply chain laws.

Provisional Programme

09:30 - 10:00 - Registration

10:00 - 10:15 - Welcome and introductions

10:15 - 11:30 - Effectiveness of the Laws at Achieving Business Compliance with its Minimum Requirements

11:30 - 11:45 - Coffee & tea

11:45 - 13:00 - Effectiveness of the Laws at Changing Business Behaviour Beyond Compliance

13:00 - 14:00 - Lunch

14:00 - 15:15 - Effectiveness of the Laws at Influencing Corporate Change That May Lead to Specific Outcomes for Rightsholders

15:15 - 15:30 - Concluding remarks

Pricing and Registration

The workshop will take place at the BIICL office in London. Online participation can be arranged only if necessary.
Attendance is by invitation-only. If you wish to attend, please contact Jasmine Elliott.