Human Rights Disclosure and Due Diligence Laws: The Role of Regulatory Oversight in Ensuring Corporate Accountability

45 Pages Posted: 19 Dec 2019 Last revised: 4 Jan 2022

See all articles by Rachel Chambers

Rachel Chambers

University of Connecticut - School of Business

Anil Yilmaz Vastardis

University of Essex School of Law and Human Rights Centre

Date Written: July 13, 2020

Abstract

The proliferation of human rights disclosure and due diligence laws around the globe is a welcome development in the area of business and human rights. Corresponding improvement in conditions for workers and communities in global supply chains whose human rights are impacted by businesses has not materialized, however. In this article, we focus on the oversight and enforcement features of human rights disclosure and due diligence laws as among the missing links to achieving the accountability objectives envisaged by such legislation. Drawing on our analysis of the key legislative developments, we observe and critique that the state has almost completely withdrawn itself from the oversight and enforcement roles and assigned these crucial accountability functions solely to consumers, civil society, and investors. Without a regulatory mechanism to ensure quality of human rights disclosures and due diligence processes and impose sanctions for failing to comply with the laws, not only may the disclosures and processes be inadequate, but there is a danger that misleading disclosures and flawed processes may mask harmful impacts and be detrimental to any hopes of vindicating the rights of workers and communities in global supply chains. We offer a new perspective on a more effective approach to oversight and enforcement in which the state should function as a key actor through which consumers, civil society, and investors can hold businesses accountable.

Keywords: Human rights, modern slavery, reporting, due diligence, corporations, regulatory oversight

JEL Classification: K22, K38, K42

Suggested Citation

Chambers, Rachel and Yilmaz Vastardis, Anil, Human Rights Disclosure and Due Diligence Laws: The Role of Regulatory Oversight in Ensuring Corporate Accountability (July 13, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3497421 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3497421

Rachel Chambers (Contact Author)

University of Connecticut - School of Business ( email )

368 Fairfield Road
Storrs, CT 06269-2041
United States

Anil Yilmaz Vastardis

University of Essex School of Law and Human Rights Centre ( email )

Wivenhoe Park
Colchester, CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
311
Abstract Views
1,776
Rank
208,906
PlumX Metrics