Supply-Chain Due Diligence: An Emerging Frontier of Corporate Compliance

• Jurisdiction: European Union
• Year: 2021
• Author: Jonas Grimheden

Speaker

Dr. Jonas Grimheden leads one of five programmes at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) – EU’s advisory body on human rights – in Vienna, Austria. Previously heading FRA’s access to justice work, he has been with the Agency since 2009. He is a specialist in international human rights law with focus of work placed on justice, business and human rights, indicators, and monitoring mechanisms.

Before joining FRA, he was a researcher and lecturer based at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), Lund University, Sweden where he was the Deputy Head of the Academic Department. Earlier he worked for the RWI with human rights development cooperation where he established and headed the first of the Institute’s field offices, in China, 1999–2000. In addition to international human rights law, he has also taught comparative law and Chinese law. Since 2009 he is Associate Professor (Docent) of International Human Rights Law at the Law Faculty, Lund University, Sweden.

Topic

In this presentation, Jonas Grimheden delves into the crucial topic of supply-chain due diligence, shedding light on its evolution from traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices to the more comprehensive framework of Business and Human Rights (BHR). Moreover, he explores the emerging significance of ethics in a company's external relationships, emphasizing the growing recognition of the importance of responsible business conduct in today's interconnected world.

Grimheden takes a closer look at some of the most pressing and relevant concepts shaping the business landscape today, starting with the European Green Deal. This ambitious initiative, spearheaded by the European Union, aims to transform the region into a climate-neutral continent. By integrating sustainability practices and environmental considerations into their strategies, companies can play a pivotal role in achieving the Green Deal's objectives and drive positive change on a global scale.

He further discusses the rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria as essential metrics for evaluating a company's overall impact and...