Lief chain guideline: Study shows opportunities and challenges for companies

Lief chain guideline: Study shows opportunities and challenges for companies

On Friday, February 28, 2025, a significant progress in the field of human rights and environmental protection was presented in Vienna. The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Basic and Human Rights (LBI-GMR) presented its comprehensive study on "audits and certifications in delivery/value chains". This research, which was carried out in cooperation with the Chamber for Workers and Employees (AK) Vienna and the Institute for Sustainability, Cologne University (Inur) of the University of Cologne, highlights the challenges and possibilities that result from the supply chain directive of the European Union, which has been in force since July 2024. The aim of this guideline is to oblige companies to minimize negative effects on human rights and the environment.

The role of audits and certifications

The examination carried out from November 2023 to January 2025 asked the critical question: Are audits and certifications actually able to improve the human rights situation in global supply chains? As gmr.lbg.ac.at Warn scientists: Inside that without a clear framework for these processes There is a risk of "Greenwashing" or "Fairwashing". "Under certain conditions, audits and certifications can make a positive contribution," said Michael Lysander Femuth, scientific director of the LBI-GMR. However, a prerequisite is the participation of various interest groups in the audit processes so that diverse perspectives are taken into account.

A central concern of the study is to ensure liability for the audits and certifications. Camilla Sophia Haake emphasized the urgency of a functioning liability regime in order to guarantee the quality of the procedures and to avoid qualitatively inferior audits. Valentin Wedl from AK Vienna also critically commented on the hollowing out of the Lief chain law, which originally provided for more extensive protective measures. According to him, dangerous “de-bureaucratizing” threatens the company from their responsibility, even if they know about grievances such as forced and child labor in their supply chain.

The results of the study were deepened and discussed during a panel discussion, in which high -ranking experts: I took part in the inside, to give further impulses for the necessary reforming of the supply chain guideline. This presentation thus represented an important contribution to the objectification of the current debate about corporate responsibility and sustainable practices in business.