"Time to act: The need for legislation on business and human rights" Oct 2020

This report provides input into the current debate around mandatory human rights due diligence legislation for business. It discusses why such a legislation is needed in Sweden and why voluntary guidelines are not enough. The report reviews existing legislation in France and the United Kingdom (UK) as well as a law proposal in Germany and highlights what can be learned from these legislations. Representatives from leading Swedish companies are interviewed and give their views on challenges in high-risk areas and on a Swedish law. The report contains a proposal on how a Swedish mandatory human rights due diligence legislation could look like. The proposal contains the main elements of such a legislation in order for it to be effective and ensure that businesses respect human rights throughout their operations. The report also contains examples from three sectors with high risks for human rights violations; the extractive industry, agribusiness and the textile industry. The report concludes with recommendations for the Swedish government on how to act in order to ensure that Swedish companies respect human rights.