A group of 15 business and multi-stakeholder initiatives and manufacturer associations are rallying together to advance effective mandatory human rights due diligence at the EU level.
- Together, these organisations represent a majority of brands and retailers from EU market countries and also represent garment manufacturers that make up around 50% of extra-EU imports of garments and textiles.
- In their joint recommendations on the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (EU CSDD) Directive, the organisations have emphasised the necessity for a comprehensive due diligence approach that is risk-based.
- They have argued that when well-designed, mandatory due diligence positively affects all parties across the supply chain: responsible businesses will profit from an EU-wide level playing field, and suppliers, including their workers, will benefit from the responsible purchasing practices of their customers.
The Alliance: The joint statement on 21 October was issued by five business and multistakeholder initiatives and ten manufacturers associations that participated in the Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI).
The business and multistakeholder initiatives:
- Amfori
- Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)
- Fair Wear
- Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)
- Transformers Foundation
The STTI associations:
- Apparel Export Promotion Council of India (AEPC)
- Association of Indonesian Apparel and Textile Industries (API)
- Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)
- Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA)
- Moroccan Association of Textile and Apparel Industries (AMITH)
- Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA)
- Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA)
- Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA)
- Towel Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (TMA)
- Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association (TCMA)
The Arguments: According to the signatories, the current proposal of the CSDD Directive deviates from the UNGPs and OECD guidelines on crucial points. They have raised three points:
- Performing Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence should be risk based;
- Due diligence does not shift responsibility;
- Due diligence legislation must provide certainty and clarity.
