Dutch companies are making a significant contribution to international development as well as the solution of the major issues of our time, such as poverty, injustice, and climate change. Unfortunately, companies are also often directly and indirectly involved through their international supply chains in negative impacts on people and the environment.

This problem is not being taken seriously enough and enforcement is lacking. To tackle the problem, we need more than the current voluntary initiatives and partnerships...

We are a coalition of businesses, academics, religious organizations, trade unions and civil society. Together we want to ensure that human rights and the environment are respected throughout the supply chain of companies. We are in favor of a legal framework in the Netherlands, as part of a smart mix of measures for responsible business conduct.

We advocate a law that sets clear rules for business. Companies must then take responsibility for the conditions in their entire production chain. Transparency and rewarding the front runners are important elements of this new set of rules...