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Search Today, on Human Rights Day 2024, we join the global movement to honour the theme “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.” This theme underscores the urgent need to protect human rights as a foundation for peace, equity, and sustainability. Marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), this year’s campaign emphasises the transformative power of human rights to forge a better tomorrow.
For the consumer goods industry, the significance of human rights cannot be overstated. Supply chains span continents, connecting millions of workers, communities, and consumers. By embedding human rights principles into operations, businesses have the opportunity to protect vulnerable workers, drive sustainability, and meet the growing expectations of conscious consumers.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stated, “Human rights are the foundation for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.” This year’s focus reminds us of the transformative power of human rights and calls for businesses to take action by addressing systemic risks, countering misinformation, and driving collaboration across industries to create resilient supply chains.
Didier Bergeret, Director of Sustainability at The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing businesses:
“This Human Rights Day, challenges around workers’ rights, environmental degradation, land grabs and displacement of communities underscore the interconnection between human rights and environmental impacts. To identify, prevent, and address potential risks to human rights throughout business operations and supply chains, we need robust human rights and environmental due diligence, including standardised content, requirements, and language; and ultimately a unified approach to assessments.
Prioritising workers’ rights is not just the right thing to do – it strengthens businesses and operations. A more humane supply chain is a better one. It’s more resilient to rapidly changing economic, legal and sustainability environments – while more responsive to evolving consumer and stakeholder expectations.
Around the world, 28 million people are victims of forced labour, and in 2023 there was a record level of worker rights violations. Cross-sector collaboration is crucial to addressing systemic human rights issues: no company or industry can eradicate forced labour alone. With complex supply chains often spanning countries and continents, businesses must work closely with governments and non-profits.
Faced with a worsening climate crisis, conflict and growing inequalities, the urgency of taking concrete, collaborative action towards building a sustainable future has never been clearer.”
As we reflect on the critical role of human rights in creating sustainable and inclusive economies, we call on all stakeholders in the consumer goods industry to intensify their efforts. To support this work, we have launched the Converged Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence Assessment Tool. This groundbreaking tool provides businesses with practical resources to address human rights and environmental challenges comprehensively.
Learn more about this tool and download it here. Let’s act now to secure our rights and our future – right now.
