New Due Diligence Laws in Europe and the US: How will they affect Asian supply chains?

Moving the needle: Creating the future together | Online Seminar 1 | Please find the recording under: "Web" (on the right-hand side)

Mandatory due diligence in supply chains shows once more how interconnected supply chains are. These requirements coming from Europe and America though the intermediaries of the brands impact the current business practices in Asia in the Asian Garment and Textile Sector. This is the first of two online seminars dealing with mandatory due diligence in supply chains. The first one will provide a high-level overview of some of the legal approaches already in place: this includes France (in place) Germany and California (to be enacted soon), and EU (coming soon).

The purpose of surveying this new legal landscape is to alert all stakeholders to the dawn of what appears to be a new era of mandatory due diligence around social and environmental issues.

The second online seminar on 23 November will focus specifically on the German Due Diligence Act and its consequences for producers.

SPEAKERS

Ms. Alke Boessiger, Deputy General Secretary, UNI Global Union 

Alke Boessiger has worked for UNI for much of her life as a trade unionist and has held many different responsibilities in various departments and sectors. With trade union roots in Germany, she has been Head of ICTS and UNI Commerce. UNI has been a strong advocate of mandatory due diligence across the European Union, arguing voluntary due diligence requirements have not been effective, efficient, and coherent.

Mr. Ian Spaulding, Founder and CEO, Elevate 

As an industry leader in supply chain and sustainability initiatives for nearly 25 years in Asia, Europe and the United States, Ian Spaulding is regularly featured as a speaker at major events and in a range of top-tier media outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and CNN.  Prior to founding ELEVATE, Ian Spaulding worked at Sears Holdings, KPMG and BSR. At Sears Holdings, he was the Director of Global Compliance where he pioneered the largest effort to promote greater transparency and continuous improvement among thousands of manufacturing facilities globally. 

Jennifer Schappert, Partner, Due Diligence Design 

Jennifer Schappert is an RBC due diligence expert with a background in policy design and government engagement. She was a co-author of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business conduct and lead negotiator of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector. Jennifer has experience working with the European Commission and Parliament, the US and key markets including, China, India and Vietnam.