Around 15 human and labor rights organizations have urged EU policymakers to address the systemic issues related to the role of social auditing in natural and manmade disasters. Co-signatories to an open letter addressed to the EU urges European Commissioners, Members of Parliament and EU Member States to ensure social auditors’ liability and effective legislation on human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) and corporate accountability.
However, for this, victims of corporate abuse need to have access to justice and remedy, the letter adds. The CSOs and labor unions state that social auditor liability is vital to achieve broader corporate legal accountability goal, and to end impunity where companies cause or contribute to human rights violations and environmental destruction. Furthermore, the letter calls for upcoming legislation to exclude social audits and certification as adequate proof of due diligence in a court of law or in any other relevant enforcement actions.
Besides Clean Clothes Campaign, the letter was signed by ActionAid, Africa-Europe Faith and Justice Network (AEFJN), Anti-Slavery International, Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK Europa), CIDSE, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ), European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Global Witness, IndustriAll Europe, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), Sherpa, and Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO).
