Agenda

09.00 Welcome and introduction

• Introduction of course content
• Introduction of course participants and discussion of course expectations

09.30 Overview of the EU’s proposal for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence directive

During the first session, we go through the basics of the upcoming EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD) directive.

• What exactly does the due diligence requirement entail?
• What are the requirements for governance and policies?
• What is required of management and the board?
• How will the state evaluate companies’ due diligence?
• What penalties may be imposed if the requirements are not met?
• How are companies held accountable in court?
• Which issues concerning human rights and the environment are included?

10.30 Break

10.45 Focus on the requirements for due diligence 

We go over the fundamentals of due diligence using international standards that shape current EU legislative proposals.

• The responsibility and role of the state versus companies
• The design of the directive’s due diligence requirements
• Examples of due diligence legislation from European countries such as Norway, Germany, and France

11.45 Preparation for group exercise

Before lunch, participants can form groups and prepare for the afternoon’s group exercise.

12.00 Lunch

13.00 The meaning of due diligence for human rights

During this session, we go over what is unique to a due diligence process in terms of impact on people, in comparison to the environment.

• How companies carry out due diligence in practice, for example, through governance, risk management, and incident management
• Relevant rights: fundamental labour rights, civil rights, economic, social, and cultural rights, and protection of vulnerable groups such as women, children, and migrant workers
• How to identify your most salient risks, as well as how to define and assign responsibility
• Criteria for a company to be deemed to have shown “due diligence” in specific situations

The case exercise groups are given questions to research from the perspective of human rights.

14.00 The meaning of due diligence for climate and the environment

During this session, we go over what is unique to a due diligence process in terms of environmental impact, in comparison to human rights.

• How companies carry out due diligence in practice, for example, through management systems, environmental impact assessments, risk management and incident management
• What is new in the context of environmental due diligence?
• What needs to be done differently in comparison to what we are currently doing?
• Why is an action plan required for climate issues, but not for other environmental issues?
• Which factual issues need to be addressed by environmental due diligence?
• Criteria for determining whether a company has exercised due diligence

The case exercise groups are given questions to research from the perspective of climate and the environment.

15.00 Coffee break

15.15 Continuation of group exercise – apply CSDD in accordance with the proposed directive

The groups meet separately to complete their tasks. We then discuss implementation, process, and outcomes, as well as draw common conclusions about human rights and the environment.

16.00 Prepare for the new directive

• How to prepare when certain parts of the directive are unclear or will be renegotiated
• Five examples of how companies have already started to prepare
• Discussion in small groups – where and how should I start?

16.30 Rounding off

• Evaluation – joint and individual
• Thanks for today!

17.00 End