Workers are sick of companies doing whatever they want without facing the consequences. It happens all the time: companies try to hide behind long supply chains and subcontracting and claim they are not responsible for violations of human and workers rights, or environmental destruction.
Even though their business depends on harmful practices.
Even though they profit from them.
Do you agree it’s time for change? What if we told you there’s a law in the making that will hold companies accountable?
What if we told you that we can help shape that law so that it obliges companies to follow human rights and environmental due diligence?
What if we told you that YOU can make a difference! You CAN demand accountability for rights violations and environmental destruction!
You CAN help us protect transport workers!
The European Commission will soon publish a proposal for rules on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence. Before it does so, however, we all have an opportunity to tell them what we want these rules to be.
The call put forward by a coalition of unions and NGOs urges the Commission to ensure these rules:
- Cover human rights, environmental and social impacts throughout the whole supply chain
- Have teeth: companies must face strong penalties if they break the rules
- Make companies liable for bad practices at home and abroad
- Involve trade unions in the preparation of due diligence plans every step of the way
- Make sure companies always consult with (potentially) affected communities and individuals – and in some cases get their consent
- Make it easier for all victims of corporate abuse, trade unions, and civil society to seek justice in EU courts
How does the current lack of accountability from companies affect transport workers?
Transport is a key aspect of many companies’ business, and supply chains are often long and not at all transparent. They run smoothly because of transport workers – truck drivers, seafarers, dockers, warehouse workers, inland waterways, aviation and rail freight workers. Despite their business relying on the entire supply chain, companies are often not held accountable for the treatment of workers or their effects on the environment along the chain.
The lack of binding rules means that companies continue to evade responsibility, wreaking environmental havoc worldwide and profit off of human rights abuses.
If companies are not required to do due diligence, they don’t have to look into the effects of their own activities and activities of their business partners worldwide.
It means that they don’t prioritise the protection of workers’ rights and the environment.
It means that they can pretend that all that is none of their business.
It’s time to change the rules of the game!
