Due diligence in conflict-affected and high-risk contexts: Enhanced due diligence or responsible disengagement?
Feb 17, 2023 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Feb 17, 2023 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Description
Since the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, the recent financial and humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka, the civil conflict in Ethiopia’s region of Tigray, or the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, major garment producing countries have turned into high-risk areas. This confronts responsible international buyers with the dilemma of having to decide whether to continue to operate in those areas to secure the jobs of garment workers, or to disengage to avoid involuntarily contributing to human rights violations. The session will take a critical look at these options and review other considerations when sourcing from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. It will examine the stakes in light of OECD recommendations on enhanced due diligence and responsible disengagement, as well as some of the practical challenges entailed in applying these recommendations in high-risk settings.
