Is child labour just part of the culture?

Is child labour just part of the culture?

Jun 16, 2025

“But isn’t child labour just part of the culture there?” That’s a question I’ve been asked more times than I can count—often by well-meaning professionals who feel uncomfortable imposing “Western” values on suppliers in other parts of the world. Poverty is not a...
Where is forced labour hiding in global supply chains?

Where is forced labour hiding in global supply chains?

May 23, 2025

A closer look at the countries and products most at risk. I am happy to share the new report by Human Rights at Work and CORE – The Human Side of Business which identifies global hotspots for forced labour: countries where it is most prevalent and product...
DEI Fundamental for Responsible business

DEI Fundamental for Responsible business

May 23, 2025

Why European companies should stand firm: DEI is not ‘woke’, but a fundamental part of responsible business conduct In recent months, we have seen some European – including Dutch – companies reconsidering or even reducing their Diversity, Equity &...
Business and human rights | 10 tips

Business and human rights | 10 tips

May 2, 2024

A few years ago, I wrote this article for the Dutch magazine Compliance. This version has been updated and translated. It is increasingly clear to businesses that they have a responsibility for human rights as part of sustainability, ESG, social compliance, ethics,...
The CSDDD: A New Era for Corporate Human Rights Due Diligence

The CSDDD: A New Era for Corporate Human Rights Due Diligence

Mar 20, 2025

For the past 14 years, I have been working on human rights due diligence. I started at a time when I was still naive enough to believe that all companies would follow the UN Guiding Principles and respect human rights. I thought all they needed was a little help—maybe...