Background

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The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is a business-oriented non-governmental organization working at the intersection of democracy, governance, and economic development. CIPE partners with business associations, think tanks, and other organizations to implement homegrown, private sector solutions to local challenges. CIPE’s mission is to strengthen democracy through private enterprise and market-oriented reform, fulfilling a vision of a world where democracy delivers the freedom and opportunity for all to prosper.

 

Over the past year, CIPE, in collaboration with Solidarity Center (SC), has engaged stakeholders in the Cambodian garment industry to identify top priorities, pressure points, and compliance barriers in the future enforcement of the German Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) regulations. These conversations have been critical, as enforcing HREDD regulations will have significant implications for supply chains, ensuring responsible business conduct, and demanding greater accountability and transparency from all involved parties. By implementing these new standards, the Cambodian garment industry might serve as a model to other industries seeking to prevent human rights violations, ensuring fair and safe working conditions for its staff. This not only aligns with ethical business practices but also enhances the sector’s reputation and competitiveness on a global scale. This conversation will seek to foster a deeper understanding of these issues and to develop strategies that stakeholders can implement to meet compliance requirements effectively, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and responsible garment industry.​

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Objectives

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• Increase awareness of programming aimed at strengthening collaboration between key stakeholders on human rights due diligence.  

• Stress the importance of cooperation between civil society organizations, labor, government, and businesses to address supply chain issues. 

• Build awareness of human rights due diligence facing industries and supply chain compliance challenges in Southeast Asia.

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Key Questions

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• How was the issue of collaboration between labor and business addressed with stakeholders, and are there any lessons that can be applied to other sectors?

• What implications do human rights, due diligence, and other regulatory legislation have for other economies and sectors in Southeast Asia?

• What are some of the largest challenges you have identified so far? What are the direct impacts on responsible business conduct? 

• What other approaches might inform the next phase of work for the private sector, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and regulators’ strategy to shore up responsible business conduct and ensure adherence to HREDD regulations? 

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Format

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In this conversation, moderator and panelist CIPE Anti-Corruption and Governance Center Deputy Director Michele Crymes will share the stage with Anita Ramasastry of Sustainable International Development LL.M., and Solidarity Center Thailand Country Director David John Welsh. After opening remarks from Crymes and a brief overview of the CIPE-SC joint initiatives in the Cambodian garment sector, the speakers will discuss the future of supply chain compliance in Southeast Asia and the impact of global supply chain regulations (such as the HREDD) on stakeholder conduct in the region. Compliance for a new era of global norms will involve global business, local suppliers, labor organizations, and governments in Southeast Asia – how can these stakeholders productively work together on the issue of supply chain compliance, and what strategies have worked? Can different sectors prepare themselves for the HREDD enforcement timeline? Specific focus will be on how multi-stakeholder collaboration, especially with labor, can more effectively identify abuses and help global businesses make confident choices to mitigate abuse in their supply chains.

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Session Partners