New York, United States of America

13 February 2024

In the context of ongoing regulatory developments and the expected vote on the European Union Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, the UN Global Compact reiterates its support for mandatory human rights due diligence.

Legislation and regulations at national or regional levels provide enforceable mechanisms to raise corporate responsibility and accountability, protect victims and level the playing field for corporations and other actors by clarifying responsibility. 

The UN Global Compact has consistently expressed strong support for mandatory due diligence, noting the limitations of voluntary due diligence measures in failing to hold companies accountable for human rights abuses. 

Voluntary ambitious action, coupled with mandatory measures aligned with international guiding frameworks will drive corporate responsibility at this crucial time when collective action is needed more than ever. 

Laudably, over the last decade, momentum for mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence has grown worldwide. When these laws align with international human rights and environmental policies, they enable a coherent and collectively measurable approach to responsible business conduct. 

As the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, the UN Global Compact continues to support businesses in becoming future-proofed for ever-emerging laws and regulations by aligning voluntary, ambitious human rights actions with internationally accepted human rights and environmental standards, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the ILO Conventions.

Aligned with the ambition of the UN Global Compact to accelerate and scale the collective impact of businesses by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals, we stand ready to support business on their due diligence journeys.