Making CSDDD work for supply chains: SLCP’s recommendations for implementation
The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) has the potential to strengthen responsible business practices across global supply chains. To achieve this, companies need clear, practical, and harmonized guidelines on how to implement the requirements in practice.
In response to the European Commission’s consultation on the CSDDD implementation guidelines, SLCP has submitted detailed input on due diligence guidelines and on the criteria companies can use to assess whether industry and multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) are fit to support their due diligence requirements.
Our recommendations focus on three priorities:
Align with existing frameworks to avoid confusion: Build on well-established international frameworks like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct to ensure legal certainty, preserve a risk-based approach and reduce unnecessary financial and operational burdens.
Clarify expectations: Provide clear parameters for compliance, such as clarity on key concepts like "reasonably available information" for risk scoping and the circumstances in which companies should request information from business partners. This will support consistent implementation of due diligence requirements and avoid unnecessary information requests across supply chains.
Recognize the role of credible MSIs: Ensure the fitness criteria help companies identify credible initiatives that can support meaningful due diligence.
