In a joint publication [...] NGOs Germanwatch and Misereor have highlighted numerous examples of human rights abuses by German companies operating abroad... A third of the abuse allegations are concerning businesses in the energy and raw materials sector... Misereor and Germanwatch are highly critical of the German government's response, stating that last year's National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights has led to no substantial improvements... "Our research and analysis of 30 companies shows that - while some have adopted human rights policies, undertake risk assessments and have implemented a complaints procedure - in large part these initiatives fall far short of the UN guiding principles for business and human rights," says Bals [head of Germanwatch]. From 2018, the government will be conducting an annual review of German companies' attention to human rights. From 2020, according to the review results, it will consider introducing regulatory rights' protections.