Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Deferred
Align UK legislation with global partners, introducing mandatory human rights due diligence and import bans.
Recommendation
The UK Government must look to align with global legislation, prioritising the introduction of mandatory Human Rights due diligence, to avoid duplicated efforts for UK businesses. The Government should also consider newer levers such as import bans on products from regions where forced labour prevails, as being introduced in the United States and the European Union. (Recommendation, Paragraph 86) 39 Labour market enforcement
Government Response Summary
The government affirms its support for voluntary human rights due diligence approaches and states it will continue to assess and monitor existing measures and new international policy tools, consulting with stakeholders as it considers any further action on mandatory due diligence or import bans.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
This Government is clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain and remains committed to eradicating forced labour in global supply chains. The UK supports voluntary due diligence approaches taken by UK businesses to respect human rights and the environment across their operations and supply relationships, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises. The Government acknowledges the changing international landscape and the range of new policies introduced by several of our trading partners in recent years, including the EU and US. We will continue to assess and monitor the effectiveness of the UK’s existing measures, alongside the impacts of new policy tools that are emerging, to ensure we can best promote responsible business practices and take action where appropriate. The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with stakeholders in business and civil society on these issues, as do other government departments, and we will consult thoroughly with interested stakeholders as we consider any further action.