Green politician Lang is pushing for human rights in the supply chain law!

Green politician Lang is pushing for human rights in the supply chain law!

The pressure on the federal government is growing: Ricarda Lang, a prominent Green Party politician, is not mincing her words in the coalition dispute over the European supply chain law. She makes it clear that the SPD cannot stand idly by as Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of the CDU, questions the law in its current form. Lang provides insights into why European legislation is so important for fair conditions in production. “Consumers in Europe should be able to be sure that products are not manufactured under exploitative conditions,” is their urgent message. You could say the stakes are high.

The supply chain law, which was discussed across Europe, was passed last year and aims to strengthen human rights in global supply chains. “We are now at a point where we have to clearly understand the responsibility of large companies,” emphasizes Lang, who absolutely wants to prevent the law from being watered down by critical voices from the business community. But there is still a long way to go to an agreement among the EU states, including the approval of the European Parliament.

Coalition dispute over the supply chain law

According to the information from the Federal Government The law on corporate due diligence in supply chains came into force in Germany in 2023. For many companies, this represents a real shift towards greater responsibility and protection from competitive disadvantages when it comes to managing sustainable supply chains. From 2024, the law will apply to companies with at least 1,000 employees.

The provisions of the law are clear: companies are responsible for their entire supply chain, starting with their own business areas and extending to their immediate suppliers. Even indirect suppliers must be held responsible as soon as a company becomes aware of possible human rights violations. It is all the more clear that Lang and the Greens do not want to make any compromises at this point. “The federal government must not support the proposed dilution,” she demands.

Global dimension of the challenge

The scope of the problem is reflected in the frightening figures reported by the CSR initiative from the Federal Government: 1.4 billion people worldwide work under inhumane conditions, while 28 million are victims of forced labor and slavery. The COVID-19 pandemic in particular has further exacerbated the situation for workers worldwide.

For Lang, the question is how Europe deals with this responsibility, after all, the EU is the largest internal market and therefore has the opportunity to bring about significant changes. It advocates that national regulations, such as those in Germany, be supported by EU-wide legislation that expressly calls for sustainable corporate governance and human rights due diligence. “Now it’s time to have a good hand,” she summarizes.

An agreement in Brussels is on the agenda for Monday and all eyes are on the negotiations. Will the EU states manage to get together and take a clear line, or will the project fail due to resistance from companies? The next steps could determine whether a fairer global economy will become possible step by step.