04/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/24/2024 09:21
Today marks a historic day for workers' rights and corporate accountability as the European Parliament adopts the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
This directive is a historic breakthrough, heralding a new era of accountability and liability for businesses operating within the EU. The milestones include:
This momentous decision comes 11 years after the tragic disaster of Rana Plaza, serving as a poignant reminder of how European companies have been making profits by exploiting workers & destroying the environment for decades.
The adoption of this directive is the culmination of years of determined and relentless pressure and mobilisation from the ETUC. The trade union movement has worked tirelessly to push for stronger protections for workers in the EU and beyond. In 2021, the ETUC together with its affiliates and NGOs mobilized hundreds of thousands of people to respond to the EU's consultation on a draft corporate sustainability law. Now, this immense work and pressure have delivered, paving the way for a duty of businesses to uphold human rights.
Isabelle Schömann, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), commented on the momentous occasion, saying:
"Today's democratic vote is not only a win for workers - it's a victory for justice, fairness, and human dignity.
"The ETUC welcomes the positive vote on the CSDD Directive. This is the world's first set of legally binding rules to hold EU and third country companies and their subsidiaries accountable for the violations of human rights. Europe is a frontrunner in protecting trade union and workers' rights as well as the environment."
"In reaching this milestone, however there is a bittersweet taste of how national governments managed to water down some parts of the directive. All in all though, the ETUC congratulates the European legislators for their resilience against strong business lobbying, and thankfully acknowledges the compromises made during the Belgian Presidency."