News

The SER will host a side session of the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector on 13 February 2023. In an online session, members of the former Dutch Agreement on Garments and Textiles who are experts on sectoral collaboration, will share their insights on how negotiated sector agreements create an optimal environment for companies to establish and/or strengthen their due diligence systems.

The Open Supply Hub has recently organised a webinar on supply chain transparency in the apparel sector. The participants explored some of the key organisations, elements and initiatives that resulted in an unprecedented level of transparency in the apparel sector and how those can and have been replicated beyond apparel. Fleur Meerman, senior policy advisor at the SER, contributed to share the lessons from the textile sector based on her 5.5 years’ experience with the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile (AGT). The recording of the webinar is now available.

Trade union freedom and social dialogue are essential to respect the rights of workers in the agri-food sector. Gaining insight into the human rights situation in supply chains starts with asking the right questions. Parties to the international RBC Agreement for the Food Products Sector and Fairtrade have developed a flyer to help companies.

Global Compact Network Netherlands (GCNL) and the SER collaborate to support the ‘Business & Human Rights Accelerator’. Starting in February 2023, this six-month GCNL programme is designed to help companies move from commitment to action on human rights and labour rights. Applications close on 16 December 2022.

Parties to the International RBC Agreement for the Metals Sector look back on a challenging year. International developments such as the war in Ukraine and rising energy prices had a major impact on the sector. The urgency to realise responsible metals value chains is felt by the Parties to the Agreement, as is apparent from the annual report 2021-2022.

Trade union FNV and Cordaid provided a Human Rights Due Diligence training in Uganda, as part of the IRBC Agreement for the Food Products Sector. The training was given to new participants of the Local Expert Network.

In September 2022, the European Commission has proposed a draft regulation to prohibit products made with forced labour in the EU market. Are you wondering what this guideline entails? And what it could mean for your company? In this article we will answers some frequently asked questions.

In the light of the climate emergency and increased geopolitical tensions, the energy transition becomes increasingly important. At the same time, the renewable energy value chain is associated with risks and impacts for people and the environment. The SER and the Danish Institute for Human Rights organised a webinar about this topic on 7 September. The recording is now available.

On 22 September, 2022, the signatories and other stakeholders to the IRBC agreement for the Floricultural Sector reflected on three years of collaboration. The activities, recommendations and perspectives on a sustainable development of the sector are summarized in a final report.

For over a year, representatives of the former Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile have worked hard with the Ethical Trading Initiative, Fair Wear Foundation and the German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles to define responsible purchasing practices. This has led to a Common Purchasing Practices Framework. Purchasing practices are an important factor for positive impact at production sites.