“The Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains - Human Rights and Environmental Protection Expanded to Global Value Chains”

During the Ethiopia agrofood and plastprintpack fair trade held at Millenium Hall from 8-10 June 2023, FES Ethiopia and the German Embassy organized an expert discussion on “The Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains - Human Rights and Environmental Protection Expanded to Global Value Chains”.

The discussion started with presentations of the Draft African Union Business and Human Rights Policy and the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act followed by ILO and GIZ explaining the work they are doing in promotion of decent work in agribusiness and increase the sustainability in the supply chain of the Ethiopian coffee sector respectively. The Ethiopian Employers Federation (EEF) and Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) highlighted what the German Supply Chain Act would mean for workers’ rights giving special emphasis to protection of female workers and forced child labor that dominates the agro-industry, as well as the responsibilities and requirements employers would have to fulfill and the support the Ethiopian government would need when it comes to implementation of the legislations.