7 Apr 2025
Complaint against Ahold Delhaize on Violations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct
Summary
Date Reported: 7 Apr 2025
Location: United States of America
Companies
Hannaford (part of Ahold Delhaize) - Other Value Chain Entity , Ahold Delhaize - Parent Company , Dairy Farmers of America - Other Value Chain Entity , Navex - Other Value Chain Entity , Agri-Mark - Other Value Chain EntityOther
Not Reported ( Agriculture & livestock ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Intimidation , Freedom of Expression , Access to Non-Judicial Remedy , Forced Labour & Modern Slavery , Restricted access to medicines , Dismissal , Occupational Health & Safety , Harassment (other than sexual) , Precarious/Unsuitable Living Conditions , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Wage Theft , Violence , Denial of leave , Right to Food , Injuries , Racial, ethnicity, caste or origin discrimination , Minimum WageResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre & Journalists
Story containing response: (Find out more)
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Portland Press Herald reported that Hannaford is reviewing its dairy supply chain for human rights violations following concerns raised by activists. The review will be “overseen” by a third-party auditor, Enact. The review began days before Migrant Justice filed its complaint. The company said it “appreciates” Migrant Justice raising the issues, so that it can “learn what may or may not be happening”. In May 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Ahold Delhaize, HP Hood, Dairy Farmers of America and Navex to respond to the reporting. It also invited Ahold Delhaize to additionally disclose steps it has taken to investigate and remedy workers for the abuses reported; and to disclose any human rights due diligence it undertakes before its subsidiaries enter into contracts with suppliers and when monitoring working conditions at suppliers. Responses from Ahold Delhaize, HP Hood Agri-Mark, and Navex can be read in full in the story. Dairy Farmers of America did not respond.
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 7 Apr 2025
Location: United States of America
Companies
Hannaford (part of Ahold Delhaize) - Buyer , Ahold Delhaize - Parent CompanyOther
Not Reported ( Agriculture & livestock ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Precarious/Unsuitable Living Conditions , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Access to Non-Judicial RemedyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre & Journalists
Story containing response: (Find out more)
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Portland Press Herald reported that Hannaford is reviewing its dairy supply chain for human rights violations following concerns raised by activists. The review will be “overseen” by a third-party auditor, Enact. The review began days before Migrant Justice filed its complaint. The company said it “appreciates” Migrant Justice raising the issues, so that it can “learn what may or may not be happening”. In May 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Ahold Delhaize to respond to the reporting. It also invited Ahold Delhaize to additionally disclose steps it has taken to investigate and remedy workers for the abuses reported; and to disclose any human rights due diligence it undertakes before its subsidiaries enter into contracts with suppliers and when monitoring working conditions at suppliers. Ahold Delhaize's response can be read in full in the story.
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 7 Apr 2025
Location: United States of America
Companies
Ahold Delhaize - Parent Company , Hannaford (part of Ahold Delhaize) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Precarious/Unsuitable Living Conditions , Access to Non-Judicial RemedyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre & Journalists
Story containing response: (Find out more)
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Portland Press Herald reported that Hannaford is reviewing its dairy supply chain for human rights violations following concerns raised by activists. The review will be “overseen” by a third-party auditor, Enact. The review began days before Migrant Justice filed its complaint. The company said it “appreciates” Migrant Justice raising the issues, so that it can “learn what may or may not be happening”. In May 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Ahold Delhaize to respond to the reporting. It also invited Ahold Delhaize to additionally disclose steps it has taken to investigate and remedy workers for the abuses reported; and to disclose any human rights due diligence it undertakes before its subsidiaries enter into contracts with suppliers and when monitoring working conditions at suppliers. Ahold Delhaize's response can be read in full in the story.
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 7 Apr 2025
Location: United States of America
Companies
Ahold Delhaize - Parent Company , Hannaford (part of Ahold Delhaize) - BuyerOther
Not Reported ( Agriculture & livestock ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Agriculture & livestock , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Precarious/Unsuitable Living Conditions , Intimidation , Wage Theft , Minimum Wage , Access to Non-Judicial RemedyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre & Journalists
Story containing response: (Find out more)
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Portland Press Herald reported that Hannaford is reviewing its dairy supply chain for human rights violations following concerns raised by activists. The review will be “overseen” by a third-party auditor, Enact. The review began days before Migrant Justice filed its complaint. The company said it “appreciates” Migrant Justice raising the issues, so that it can “learn what may or may not be happening”. In May 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Ahold Delhaize to respond to the reporting. It also invited Ahold Delhaize to additionally disclose steps it has taken to investigate and remedy workers for the abuses reported; and to disclose any human rights due diligence it undertakes before its subsidiaries enter into contracts with suppliers and when monitoring working conditions at suppliers. Ahold Delhaize's response can be read in full in the story.
Source type: NGO
...The following complaint highlights the grave human rights violations in the supply chain of Ahold Delhaize and calls on the National Contact Point (NCP) to address the company’s failure to align with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. It does so by the way of the following chapters.
Chapter 6 of the complaint outlines the relationships within the supply chain, identifying Ahold Delhaize as the parent company of Hannaford, which obtains dairy products from farms associated with human rights violations…
Chapter 7 details violations of internationally recognized human rights instruments occurring on dairy farms within Ahold Delhaize’s supply chain…
Chapter 8 offers a detailed account of how Ahold Delhaize has failed to meet its due diligence obligations under the OECD Guidelines, including its failure to disclose relevant documents to both the public and the employees…
Chapter 9 discusses Ahold Delhaize's refusal to join the Milk with Dignity Program, a proven initiative that enhances labor rights and transparency in the dairy supply chain…
Lastly, Chapter 10 establishes the Complainant’s expectations and urges the National Contact Point to engage directly with Ahold Delhaize to address its lack of alignment with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises…