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#115 Sarah Hechler & Christopher Bayer: How Well Are German Companies Doing HREDD?

What’s the track record of German companies implementing the LkSG? Listen to Sarah Hechler, previously Social Project Manager at the UN Global Compact Netzwerk Deutschland, and Christopher Bayer, Senior Researcher on the study and Principal Investigator at Development International

How effectively have German firms been implementing the LkSG?

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Sarah Hechler, consultant at the German Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights (Helpdesk Wirtschaft und Menschenrechte) and previously Social Project Manager at the UN Global Compact Netzwerk Deutschland, which has just published the first comprehensive study of the implementation of the German supply chain due diligence Act, the LkSG. Also joining this episode was Christopher Bayer, Senior Researcher on the study and Principal Investigator at Development International.

Together they revealed the overarching findings of their study, especially on which areas companies demonstrate strong performance on HREDD, and where they are falling behind. You’ll also hear about:

  • The widespread lack of effective measurement mechanisms amongst German companies for tracking progress on human rights  
  • The main differences between due diligence laws across the world, including the French 'Devoir de diligence' and the US Dodd-Frank Act
  • Christopher and Sarah's key advice to businesses on how to carry out effective due diligence, based on the findings of their research  

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