Pressemeldungen - Unternehmensverantwortung & Lieferkettengesetz

Business and human rights: Legal experts present requirements for supply chain law

Joint PRESS RELEASE by Initiative Supply Chain Act, CorA Network, ECCHR, BUND

Berlin. A supply chain law in Germany is feasible – for companies as well as for legislators. This is shown by a legal opinion of the Initiative Supply Chain Act, prepared by legal experts of the alliance with the support of lawyer Robert Grabosch. Such a law is intended to oblige companies in Germany to better protect people and the environment in their global business.

“Our analysis shows that: Human rights and environmental protection along the entire value chain are not a utopia, but only a law far away. The Federal Government must comply with the coalition agreement and adopt a fair and strong supply chain law in this legislative period.”, says Johanna Kusch, spokesperson for the Supply Chain Act initiative. Development Minister Müller and Labour Minister Heil had promised to present key points for a corresponding law in February in order to advance the process. The Supply Chain Act initiative is an alliance of 91 civil society organisations.

A supply chain law should also make it easier for those affected by human rights violations to go to court in Germany in order to sue for reparation. Above all, however, it should have a preventive effect: “Enterprises should be required to analyse, prevent and publicly document risks to people and the environment in their business. If they violate these obligations, the consequences must be: for example, fines or exclusion from public procurement procedures’Christian Schliemann, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR). An authority must check compliance with the due diligence obligations and sanction them accordingly in the event of non-compliance.

Not only people, but also the environment must protect a supply chain law according to the civil society alliance: Laura von Vittorelli, Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), explains: “Human rights violations and environmental degradation by the economy go hand in hand worldwide. When rivers are poisoned by mining, chemical and textile factories, people are restricted in their fundamental right to access clean drinking water. A supply chain law must lay down both human rights and environmental due diligence obligations for companies. Those affected need a legal remedy against these destructive practices.’

A supply chain law must apply to all large companies (e.g. with more than 250 employees or a balance sheet total of 20 million euros) that are resident or operating in Germany. Small and medium-sized enterprises are to be covered by the law if they are active in sectors with particularly high risks for people or the environment, such as the textile industry, according to the initiative's demand.

Many companies are already voluntarily pretending that human rights protection is possible and above all not harmful to business. Voluntary action is not enough to protect human life and the environment. ‘It is important to: Germany must not fall behind the requirements of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights with a law. They do not demand the impossible from companies, but only adequate measures to protect human rights’. explained Heike Drillisch, Coordinator of the CorA Corporate Responsibility Network. The adequacy depends, for example, on the size of the company, its direct influence and the seriousness of the possible human rights violation.

The Supply Chain Act initiative unites 91 civil society organisations, including human rights, development and environmental organisations, as well as trade unions and church actors. In September 2019, they formed an alliance. ECCHR, BUND Deutschland and the CorA network are among the 18 supporting organisations of the initiative.

Further information:

Contact:

  • Johannes Heeg, Spokesperson for the Supply Chain Act Initiative: Tel.: 0151-10611346, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Michelle Trimborn, ECCHR Press Office: Tel.: 030-40 10 94 54, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Laura von Vittorelli, legal expert BUND: Tel.: 030-27586-532, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For the CorA network:

  • Maren Leifker, Business and Human Rights Officer, Bread for the World:Tel.: 030-65211-1836, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Dr. Franziska Humbert, Policy Officer Labour Rights / Corporate Social Responsibility, Oxfam Germany:Tel. 0171-2124106, E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Supply Chain Act initiative is supported by:
Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB), European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), Forum Fairer Handel e.V., Germanwatch e.V., Greenpeace e.V., INKOTA-netzwerk e.V., Bischöfliches Hilfswerk MISEREOR e.V., Oxfam Deutschland e.V., SÜDWIND e.V., ver.di - Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft, WEED - Weltwirtschaft, Ökologie & Entwicklung e.V., Weltladen-Dachverband e.V., Werkstattwirtschaft e.V.