The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) welcomes July 25 the entry into force the European Commission’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the culmination of years of negotiations. The aim of this Directive is to foster sustainable and responsible corporate behavior in companies’ operations and across their global value chains.
Steve Trent, CEO and Founder of EJF, said: “Our investigations have repeatedly uncovered shocking environmental and human rights abuses in European supply chains, which all too often go unsanctioned and unremedied. This Directive is a critical step forward and positions the EU as a global leader in this area. However, this will only happen if implementation is taken seriously. Today it enters into force; for it to be worth the paper it is printed on, Member States must enforce it swiftly and ambitiously.”
EJF’s recent investigations, in particular covering the Chinese fleet in the South West Indian Ocean and cattle ranching in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland have highlighted the alarming links between EU supply chains and human rights abuses. These activities contribute to the degradation of invaluable ecosystems and the livelihoods on which local communities depend.
Trent added: “While this legislation represents a major step in cleaning up supply chains of environmental destruction and human rights abuses, Member States should recognize it merely sets a baseline upon which they can build more ambitious standards. Only about 0.05% of EU companies fall within its scope, so Member States are encouraged to apply these rules beyond the current company scope. This applies particularly to high-risk sectors such as seafood and cattle ranching.
“Due diligence obligations will extend to major European retailers with seafood supply chains, as well as larger seafood producers. These companies now have an opportunity to lead by example by supporting smaller business partners active in their supply chains to comply with the incoming rules.
“Crucially, the progress achieved today should not be used as justification for the roll back of individual Member States’ domestic supply chain laws, as we have seen suggested by the governing coalition in Germany this month. This would mean one step forward, but two steps back towards a fairer and more sustainable economy that works for people and our planet.”
Photo credit: iStock/ Francesco Ricciardi. Discarded fishing nets on coral reef pose danger to marine life.