Your phone, jacket, laptop, fridge and your drink at lunch… they are all products made of raw materials from all over the world. Impressive, but at the same time, these value chains continue to be fraught with human rights violations, poor working conditions, and environmental pollution.

Dutch companies contribute to international development and addressing major issues of our time, such as poverty, injustice, and climate change. Unfortunately, companies are also often directly and indirectly negatively impact people and the environment in their value chains.

This problem is not being taken seriously enough and enforcement is lacking. To tackle the problem, we need more than voluntary initiatives and partnerships. As a coalition of companies, academics, civil society organisations and trade unions, we are in favour of legislation that ensures that companies tackle violations of human rights and the environment in their value chains.

• Nearly 50 million people are victims of modern slavery?
• 
Currently, around 150 million children work illegally?
• Workers in 107 countries are not allowed to form or join a trade union, and the number of countries is increasing year after year?
• Having a job does not guarantee a decent income: 13% of workers live in poverty and even 8% in extreme poverty?
• The vast majority of low-paid, low-skilled workers in international chains are women, especially in export-oriented manufacturing?
• About 100 companies have caused 71% of all climate damage in the past 30 years?

We are a coalition of businesses, academics, religious organisations, trade unions and civil society organisations. Together we want to ensure that human rights and the environment are respected throughout the value chains of companies. We are in favour 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 take responsibility for the conditions in their value chains. Transparency and cooperation are important elements of these new rules.

Source: OECD Guidelines.nl