Industry study on business and human rights

What are the human rights risks in the value chains of German business sectors and where do they occur? Which human rights due diligence activities are already being put in place in the German economy? And what are the challenges of this implementation? The study “Respect for Human Rights along Global Value Chains” addressed these and other questions.

adelphi prepared the study with Ernst & Young GmbH (EY) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The study analyses some 100 branches of the German economy from a human rights perspective.

• First, it determined which human rights risks can occur along the value chains.
• Based on this, the study then narrowed its focus to eleven selected industries.
• Through interviews and background discussions with industry representatives, trade unions and civil society actors, the study then examined the focus industries in more detail. The goal: to identify existing national and international industry activities for human rights due diligence as well as potential starting points for further activities.
• In light of these results, the project team has developed potential starting points for industry dialogues and other activities for the eleven focus industries and formulated cross-industry recommendations.

The study intends to help the federal government decide which sectors require support in the form of industry dialogues. Which industries are addressed for industry dialogues within the framework of the NAP is ultimately based on the government’s decision.