Femnet e.V.

CorA-Network & Supply Chain Act Initiative

Companies must take responsibility!

We strongly believe that a globalised economy requires clear and binding rules for respecting human rights. These rules should oblige companies to take into account the impact of their actions on people and the environment and to comply with international social and environmental standards as well as human rights.

Affected persons lack the contact point: If global corporations are responsible for human rights violations, injured workers in their home countries can hardly take action against them. They usually don't get compensation. On the other hand, there are the special rights of international investors to sue if they see their profits jeopardised, for example by environmental or social regulations.

CorA - Corporate Responsibility Network

Over 50 people work on the CorA network Host organisations human rights, development, environmental and consumer protection and trade unions. Together, we are committed to a binding corporate responsibility oriented towards the common good in various fields and use a variety of instruments and approaches.

In Germany, the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) has been in place since 1 January 2023, requiring companies with 3,000 employees (with 1,000 employees as of 2024) to comply with and report on their due diligence obligations in their supply chain.

A supply chain law will also be adopted at EU level in 2023. The German LkSG is based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

Supply Chain Act initiative

FEMNET is part of the support group of the Supply Chain Act initiative, which originated from CorA and in which around 130 civil society organisations participate. The initiative is committed to a challenging LkSG at EU level.

Our goals

Companies are also liable for their actions in distant production countries.

This is what we want to achieve:

1. Corporate accountability and publicity obligations on human rights, environmental and social standards
2. Public procurement according to social-ecological criteria
3. Anchoring corporate obligations in international economic agreements and in economic development
4. Fair corporate taxation for the benefit of society
5. Effective sanctions and liability rules for companies
6. Strengthening product responsibility and promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns