In January 2024, the Trades Union Congress released a report proposing new mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence legislation for the United Kingdom. The report argues new legislation would better regulate global value chains, preventing human rights abuse.

The report also notes the TUC has campaigned for reforms of director’s duties, requiring directors to take into account the interests of the workforce and the impact of the company on the environment and human rights. The report argues due diligence legislation would complement reforms to director’s duties by making businesses liable for the harms they cause or contribute to.

The report references several case studies where it argues legislation would prevent harms, including: a landmark lawsuit brought by 130 workers from Myanmar against Tesco; a legal case challenging the government’s decision to include Supermax as an approved provider to the NHS; 2020 allegations of labour rights abuse at Boohoo factories in Leicester (see Boohoo’s response here); abuses in the production of transition minerals; and the abuse of seasonal workers in the UK.