The new German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act imposes new obligations on larger companies, which must, among other things, check their entire supply chain for violations of human rights and environmental concerns.
In Osmani v. Universal Structural Restorations Ltd., 2022 ONSC 6979, an Ontario court was the first to consider a claim for damages for the statutory tort of human trafficking under the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act (PRHTA).
The Modern Slavery Act would require certain government institutions and private-sector entities to report annually on measures they have taken to prevent and reduce the risk that they or their supply chains are using forced or child labour.
National and supranational legislatures continue to develop laws requiring employers to conduct due diligence of their operations and those of their business partners in order to address human rights risks such as forced labor and child labor.
In January 2022, the New York State Senate introduced a bill that seeks to impose significant human rights and environmental due diligence and disclosure obligations on fashion retail sellers and manufacturers operating in the state of New York.
On December 23, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which bars the importation into the United States of products made from forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China.
This year has seen a number of international and regional legislative efforts imposing human rights due diligence and transparency obligations on multinational employers.
Since it was established in 2014, a United Nations Inter-Governmental Working Group has met annually to develop a multilateral treaty to attempt to hold businesses legally accountable for harms that may be related to their global operations.
Human rights issues increasingly require the assistance of experienced counsel to help employers navigate very fluid and complex legal, business and societal considerations. This article illuminates key topics facing the international business community.
