🔶 𝗜𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯, 𝟱𝟯 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗔𝗙𝗔, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁 (#𝗟𝗸𝗦𝗚). This was despite the reporting deadline being extended to 2025 to align with the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (#CSDDD).
Here are some stats from BAFA's newly published 2023 activity report:
➡️ In 30 out of the 53 reports, companies did not identify any human rights or environmental risks or violations last year. BAFA requested that these 30 companies conduct a more thorough review or provide explanation in their next reports.
➡️ The BAFA initially prioritized the textile, food and beverage and automotive industries in 2023, expanding the focus to electronics, communication and digital, tourism and leisure, mechanical engineering, logistics, pharmaceuticals/chemicals and energy sectors later in the year.
➡️ 14 companies were contacted in relation to 6 complaints cases. BAFA conducted 86 event-related checks, often triggered by media reports, such as the recurring strikes by truck drivers in the logistics sector and accusations against vegetable producers in Italy and Spain.
➡️ A total of 492 ex officio audits were carried out, with 86 ad-hoc and 180 completed by the end of 2023.
➡️ Questions frequently asked by BAFA to companies involved the accessibility and confidentiality of complaints mechanisms, the engagement of rights-holders in their development as well as the independence of case handlers.
➡️ BAFA received 1,303 inquiries in 2023 - double the amount from the previous year. These came from companies, industry associations, non-governmental organizations, government institutions and the media.
🪙 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜:
BAFA's overall analysis concluded that 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗸𝗦𝗚'𝘀 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 and had already dealt extensively with the topic over a longer period of time.
BAFA also underlined the open communication with companies and their willingness to cooperate. It identified positive changes in individual companies such as improvements in the accessibility of complaint procedures (e.g., direct links established on homepages and inclusion of additional languages).
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱?
➡️ The BAFA will translate important documents to more languages and issue new handouts with guidance on the following topics:
- substantiated knowledge
- the role of standards, audits and certifications
- the transport and logistics industry
- remedial measures in your own business area and with direct suppliers
- children's rights
🔍 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 (𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻).
