Berlin, Germany — A significant new initiative is on the horizon as global trade unions and the German government have scheduled a formal announcement on March 20, 2025, to launch the Human Rights Due Diligence Competence Centre. This international effort, set to commence operations later in the year, aims to fortify workers’ rights by enforcing national and European legislation that mandates corporate responsibility across global supply chains.
The collaborative effort includes key organizations such as UNI Global Union, IndustriALL Global Union, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the German union confederation, DGB. The Initiative for Global Solidarity, backed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through GIZ, has provided the necessary start-up funds.
Alke Boessiger, Deputy General Secretary of UNI Global Union, expressed enthusiasm about the transition to mandatory legislation, which she believes will enforce multinational corporations’ compliance with human rights standards. This move not only empowers the global trade union movement to support workers but also levels the business playing field, curtailing competitive disparities that often jeopardize workers’ welfare.
Scheduled for later this month, the launching event will gather union leaders, policymakers, and employers to discuss the new centre’s pivotal role in ensuring more resilient and ethical global supply chains through the enforcement of due diligence laws.
According to Atle Høie, General Secretary of IndustriALL, the Competence Centre is crucial for enhancing workers’ conditions by providing support and legal expertise to trade unions, especially in countries where human rights violations are rampant.
Yasmin Fahimi, Chair of the DGB, added that robust laws are only as effective as the cooperation they receive. She emphasized the Centre’s role in translating legal standards into actionable outcomes that genuinely protect workers’ rights and enhance corporate accountability worldwide.
The Centre’s steering committee, including members from UNI, IndustriALL, and DGB, has outlined three primary objectives: enhancing the capacity of trade unions to utilize corporate due diligence effectively, supporting strategic interventions to prevent human rights abuses in critical supply chains, and promoting the vigorous implementation of human rights due diligence by companies and policymakers.
To bolster its influence and effectiveness, the Centre plans to involve additional trade unions and experts in an advisory role to guide its strategic decisions and activities.
Though the Centre will be officially registered as a non-profit foundation in the Netherlands, it will function without a physical headquarters, capitalizing on virtual operations. Its official inauguration is expected in the final quarter of 2025.
The initiative builds on established legal frameworks such as the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act operational since January 2023, and the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive adopted in June 2024, with full implementation across EU member states required by 2026.
The proposed Centre is not only an advancement for labor rights but also a testament to the persistent advocacy and solidarity among workers globally facilitated by influential bodies such as UNI Global Union, IndustriALL, DGB, and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. These organizations have long championed workers’ welfare and corporate accountability on both national and international stages.
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