The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive: UNI Global Union calls on governments to not backslide on human rights commitments

As the vote on the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) approaches this Friday, UNI Global Union is calling on governments to support this legislation, which is key to embedding human rights across companies’ operations and value chains as well as across our economies. 

UNI General Secretary Christy Hoffman said: 

“With workers’ rights in crisis around the world, we call on European governments to fully support the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. This legislation is not only essential for Europe; it is crucial for workers’ rights and environmental protection worldwide. Now is not the time to backslide on these commitments.” 

UNI affiliates across the continent – including PAM in Finland and ver.di in Germany – are pushing their representatives to back the bill. UNI Europa also circulated a call to affiliates to press their national governments to support the CSDDD. 

On the Finnish government’s wavering position, PAM President Annika Rönni-Sällinen said: “It’s hard to understand why the government is ready to throw years of work into the trash in the preparation of the corporate responsibility directive. With its help, we are creating a fair competition environment where companies can deliver responsibly and sustainably.”  

Despite an agreement reached across the EU in late 2023, Germany announced today that it would abstain, following the last-minute veto from government’s junior coalition partner, the liberal FDP. The announcement may cause other countries may reconsider their position too.   

The CSDDD’s passage now hangs in the balance because of political maneuvering of EU member states on voting through the deal that they had long-negotiated. This flies in the face of trade unions – and employers – that have already long-awaited and prepared for the implementation of the CSDDD to address the urgent crisis in workers’ rights around the world. 

The momentum to ensure a higher bar for corporate accountability on human rights should not waiver.  

Read more about UNI’s position on the CSDDD here.