Three years after the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) came into force, it is worth asking about its impacts: Are the requirements fulfilling their stated purpose? Is the law helping to prevent human rights violations along global supply chains? What concrete changes have we observed so far?
The examples gathered in this report demonstrate that: Workers and human rights defenders around the world are using the LkSG to assert their rights, and many companies are systematically addressing the human rights impacts of their business models for the first time.
For example, truck drivers in Germany have successfully fought wage fraud; trade unions in Turkey have used the law to enforce freedom of association; and German companies have responded to the environmental impact caused in part by German industry through raw material extraction in West Africa.
However, this development is under serious threat: the current regulatory setback at EU level and the planned weakening of the law in Germany are jeopardising its effectiveness.
This report is based on interviews with over 20 experts from trade unions, associations, companies, and civil society organisations who work with the Supply Chain Act. The results show that, in order for the LkSG to be effective, it is crucial that the German government maintains the current level of human rights protection under the law.
The report was published in collaboration with Misereor.
