Today is the last day of negotiations for the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). This is proposed regulation that aims to ensure that large companies take responsibility for their environmental and human rights impacts throughout their value chains. For many years, civil society organisations, such as Justice in Mining (an Ignatian Global Advocacy Network), have pressed for this regulation in the EU which requires companies to conduct due diligence to identify, prevent, mitigate, and remedy any adverse impacts their operations may have on human rights and the environment.

In the context of these final days of negotiations an open letter, which is signed by 93 organisations including JESC and Justice in Mining, urges EU decision-makers to prioritise human rights, environmental protection, and climate resilience in CSDDD implementation. The letter highlights the importance of protecting Indigenous Rights, workers’ rights, and environmental integrity and emphasises the need for meaningful stakeholder engagement, access to justice, and accountability mechanisms. It calls upon EU policymakers to champion a directive that aligns with the EU’s commitment to human rights and climate action.

You can read the statement here.