Working conditions and human rights

Knowing working conditions and respecting human rights

Companies that establish effective human rights due diligence systems position themselves for the future. They position themselves as a socially responsible brand and gain access to customers who care about these issues. With active supplier management, you can build long-term partnerships and benefit from increased collaboration.

You also have an easier time attracting young talent or investors. So it is becoming increasingly important for companies to address this issue and build effective systems.

What is expected of companies in terms of respecting human rights?

Companies cannot solve the sometimes systemic problems in global and local supply chains on their own. They are nevertheless expected to make proportionate efforts to comply with internationally recognised social standards. This process is known in practice as the "human rights due diligence process".

SGS offers a range of services to help companies build human rights due diligence processes. From workshops and GAP analyses to practical tools and individual consulting.

Our main focus

You have already worked on the topic of social standards, but would like to know how "compliant" they are with the legal requirements? Then the GAP analysis on the National Action Plan (NAP) might be right for you.

Conducting a human rights risk analysis
Risk analysis is at the core of the NAP and will also play a central role in the Supply Chain Act. You need to think about where you may be violating human rights. We are happy to support you in this important step by evaluating external data sources (such as the CSR Risk Check), interviewing experts in the relevant countries on human rights issues and providing and evaluating supplier questionnaires. We summarise the analysis for you in a "Human Rights Risk Report".
Selection of suitable measures
This is the third core element of the NAP. The measures must be tailored to the respective risks and the groups of people involved. If you want to combat child labour in wild collection, you should choose different measures than if you want to prevent working time violations at suppliers, for example. We support you as a competent partner and make suggestions for measures that fit your goals.
Review of the policy statement
The formulation of the policy statement is the first core element of the NAP. The policy statement is the official commitment to the protection of human rights made by the management. It contains the human rights issues relevant to your company and explains the due diligence process.

Establishing human rights due diligence processes is complex and looks different for each company. We are happy to support you individually in analysing your supply chain risks and developing action plans.

The GAP analysis as an ideal starting point

The National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP) was launched by the German government in 2016. In summer 2020, it was announced that only a few companies were implementing the NAP in accordance with the requirements. Find out through our gap analysis where you stand today in relation to the implementation of the NAP and how you can become "compliant".

The GAP analysis shows you to what extent your company processes meet the requirements of the NAP. It reveals gaps and points out potential for improvement. The analysis is based on a comprehensive checklist that you can use at the end of the project.

The offer is ideal for companies that have limited resources but still want to deal effectively with the Supply Chain Act.

Our sustainability training courses

Carbon Footprint Training (3 Moduls)

Get started with ESG

Human Rights Awareness eLearning Course

Further workshops and trainings in the field of working conditions and human rights

In the area of working conditions & human rights, we offer various trainings and workshops. There are open trainings, but also workshops tailored to your needs. The events are conducted both online and in-house.

All training offers on the topic of "sustainability" can be found here!

Compact training: Social standards in the supply chain

The compact training "Social Standards in the Supply Chain" provides the basic knowledge and tools to introduce and monitor social standards at suppliers. You will learn concrete tools to document your activities and to communicate them credibly. Participants of the training are thus prepared for future requests.

Core contents of the training:

Building basic knowledge of internationally valid social standards (e.g. ILO standards).
Managing expectations of companies in the area of social standards
Development of an action plan with goals and measures
Expanding knowledge of programmes, codes of conduct and standards (e.g. SA8000, SMETA/Sedex, Amfori BSCI)
Information on the social audit process

You can find the offer in the SGS Academy webshop..

Basic training: Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG)

With the introduction of the Supply Chain Duty of Care Act (LkSG), companies will face new challenges. We briefly and compactly explain the most important points from the law and the requirements that will arise for your company.

Core contents of the training:

Definition and scope of application of the LkSG (own business area, direct suppliers, indirect suppliers).
Obligations of companies (documentation and reporting, risk analysis, risk management, preventive measures, remedial measures)
Liability risks
Compliance structures
Tips for practice

You can find this and similar trainings in the SGS Academy webshop.

Training: SMETA basics

In the training "Basic knowledge SMETA", all relevant information on the SMETA audit format is conveyed. The most important documents in a SMETA audit (audit report and catalogue of measures) are presented and explained. The difference between a 2 and 4 Pillar audit is explained and the requirements of the individual pillars of SMETA are explained in detail. The action catalogue with which each SMETA audit ends is presented and deviations are evaluated using root cause analysis.

The training is accompanied by an experienced auditor and enriched by examples from daily practice.