In February this year, the European Commission presented its long-awaited proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD Directive). It aims to anchor human rights and environmental standards in business activities along global value chains, in line with international frameworks and inspired by national regulations of European Member States in recent years, such as the German Supply Chain Act of 2021. As declared in its coalition agreement, the German government is committed to support an effective EU due diligence legislation.

To ensure that the Directive has a positive impact on developing countries, the requirements must go hand in hand with accompanying measures, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Join us to discuss the following questions:

How can the CSDD Directive improve working and living conditions along global value chains, particularly in developing countries? Which actions are expected from the EU and its Member States to support stakeholders along global value chains? What constitutes an effective smart mix of accompanying measures at EU level?