Pressemeldungen - Unternehmensverantwortung & Lieferkettengesetz © Initiative Supply Chain Act 08 October 2025 Global pressure on the Chancellor: More than 210,000 people and trade unionists from Pakistan and Bangladesh call for preservation of supply chain law The petition of the Supply Chain Act Initiative to preserve the Supply Chain Act and the EU Supply Chain Directive has received over 210,000 signatures. Together with trade unionists and scientists from Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries, the initiative handed over the petition today. Press release of the Supply Chain Act initiative, of which FEMNET is a member. Sofie Kreusch, Supply Chain Act Initiative, explains: “Whoever weakens the Supply Chain Act endangers human rights, the environment and fair conditions of competition. Today, more than 210,000 people from Germany and trade unionists from the Global South send a clear signal to the Federal Chancellor: Instead of deregulation, there is now a need to strengthen the law – in Germany and Europe.” Franziska Humbert, Business and Human Rights Expert at Oxfam, underlines: “The Supply Chain Act already has concrete benefits for those affected. Our complaints, together with the trade unions ASTAC and SITRAP from Ecuador and Costa Rica, have already led to the payment of higher wages, greater respect for trade union rights and improvements in occupational health and safety when dealing with pesticides. Dilution would jeopardise these achievements." Amirul Haque Amin, President and Co-Founder of National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), recalls the disasters of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh and Ali Enterprises in Pakistan: “Thousands of workers lost their lives because safety standards were ignored. The German Supply Chain Act is a direct lesson from such tragedies: It creates responsibility for companies and protects people. Zehra Khan Secretary-General of the Home-Based Women Workers’ Federation (HBWWF) in Pakistan, stresses: ‘Anyone who wants to abolish or weaken the Supply Chain Act now risks recurring disasters such as Rana Plaza – with immense suffering for those affected and their families. Those who pretend to be too bureaucratic accept it.’ Ildem Esin, Senior Campaigner, and Rosa VollmerCampaign Manager at Ekō, underline: “With over 210,000 people, we are sending an impressive signal: EU supply chains do not only affect politicians in closed conference rooms full of lobbying interests – they touch the lives of millions across Europe’s borders. Especially in these challenging times, the EU Supply Chain Directive must remain strong. We owe this to all people in countries from Bosnia to Bangladesh, on whose resources our European prosperity is built.” Fenna Otten, Specialist at Robin Wood Explains: When the federal government erodes the Supply Chain Act and removes sanctions for violations, it puts profits of the private sector above the protection of the environment and human rights. She is mocking those affected. This is a testament to poverty for an industrialised country as rich as Germany!’ Background to the petition: The German Supply Chain Act (Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, LkSG for short) has been in force since January 2023 and requires large companies in Germany to respect human rights and some selected environmental standards in their supply chains. In May 2024, the EU Supply Chain Directive (CSDDD) was adopted, which in some cases goes far beyond the LkSG and would further improve the protection of people and the environment. The Chancellor wants to weaken the law and the directive – although the Supply Chain Act has already brought improvements for workers along global supply chains and numerous studies (e.g.: Handelsblatt Research, Wirtschaftsverband BME and Jaro-Institut) show that the vast majority of companies cope well with the regulations. The draft law amending the LkSG will be submitted to the Bundestag in the coming weeks. At EU level, the so-called omnibus proposal, which provides for massive weakening of the CSDDD, is currently being discussed. A landmark vote by the European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs is scheduled for 13 October. Press contacts: Supply Chain Act initiative: Tel.: +49 (0)30 577132890, Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Amirul Haque Amin and Zehra Khan: Anne Munzert (FEMNET), Tel.: +49 (0)228 18038116, Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Supply Chain Act initiative It is supported by over 90 human rights organisations, environmental organisations, trade unions, church and development organisations.
