New legislation which would make brands and retailers responsible for carrying out due diligence on social and environmental issues throughout their global supply chains is currently being considering by both the European Union and the German government.
These moves towards mandatory human rights due diligence (MHRDD) have been prompted by longstanding concerns over the effects of the fashion industry on both those who make its products and the wider environment.
They have been accelerated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which has exacerbated fears that the relationship between manufacturers, many of them in developing nations, and western brands and retailers is broken.
