In July, three publications were published that deal with the due diligence obligations of companies and the role of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSI).
The German Association for Development Policy and Humanitarian Aid (VENRO), the Corporate Accountability Network (CorA) and the Human Rights Forum jointly presented a position paper entitled “Requirements for effective multi-stakeholder initiatives to strengthen corporate due diligence – recommendations from the perspective of civil society”. The paper mentions, among other things, binding principles and binding goals as well as the existence of complaint mechanisms and the possibility of sanctions as prerequisites for a successful contribution by MSI.
The Institute for Multi-Stakeholder Initiative Integrity (MSI Integrity) has taken a closer look at 40 international standard-setting MSIs operating in various fields. The study presents the most important findings that were gained over a period of approximately ten years. In addition to the 242-page study, MSI Integrity also offers an 18-page summary for reading.
The KIT Royal Tropical Institute of the Netherlands has investigated for the period 2014 to 2020 whether and to what extent multi-stakeholder initiatives have contributed to Dutch companies’ commitment to adhere to and comply with the UN guidelines on business and human rights (“Responsible Business Conduct”, RBC). Among the findings of the study are that RBC raises awareness of due diligence among the actors involved, supports learning and facilitates compliance with corporate regulations through a supporting infrastructure.
