ESG: Human rights and environmental due diligence

In 2011, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) were unanimously endorsed by the UN Human Rights Counsel. Although they are voluntary, many businesses have pledged to follow them in their day to day operations. However, we are increasingly seeing legislative pushes towards mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence requirements across the EU and in the UK, including a European Parliament resolution on 10 March 2021 with recommendations to the Commission for drawing up a directive on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability. This article explores some of those developments.