Belgium
Action point 1
Develop a toolkit for companies and organizations on human rights
Elaborer une boîte à outils destinée aux entreprises et organisationsconcernant les droits del’Homme
This point presents the action of developing, in collaboration with experts and its main human rights stakeholders and organizations, a toolbox that will help companies prevent human rights violations and promote the respect for human rights through their activities. This “Toolbox” will be composed of different elements including the management of supply chains.
Action point 13
Strengthen and monitor the respect for human rights in public procurement
Renforcer et contrôler le respect des droits de l’Homme dans les marchés publics
This is the main action point on public procurement, but also engages with the issue of supply chain management. The federal government explains that “since certain sectors are more sensitive than others to possible human rights violations, especially when certain parts of the supply chain are in “at risk” countries, it is not enough to include clauses if they are not (or cannot) be controlled subsequently. Moreover, companies wishing to enter into public procurement contracts are not always familiar with supply chains and can rarely guarantee what is happening throughout their supply chains.” The Working Group on Sustainable Public Procurement analyzed various case studies on monitoring compliance with ILO clauses and human rights in supply chains in order to test, through pilot projects, whether such an initiative is feasible in Belgium. Implementation and follow-up of this initiative will be carried out in cooperation with the relevant federal, regional and local administrations.
- In 2016, the 2016-2020 Plan on Flemish Public Procurement was approved, a plan that emphasizes innovation, sustainability, reduction of human rights violations in supply chains, professionalization and access of SMEs
Action point 14
Evaluate the Belgian label to promote socially responsible production
Evaluer le label belge visant à promouvoir la production socialement responsible
This point includes issues of supply chain management. It presents “the Belgian label” that was a product label created in 2002 and promulgated by law to promote socially responsible production. Companies able to demonstrate that core labor standards were respected throughout their supply chain for their products and services can apply the “Belgian social label” to these products and services.
Action point 15
Incorporate the principle of “due diligence” into the management of the company, also in the terms of human rights
Supply chains are briefly mentions in relation to the publication of human rights reports: “companies are encouraged to make public their policy on corporate ethics, social affairs, human rights, including, where applicable, in their supply chains, the human rights risks identified, their action plans to prevent any negative impacts and to remedy if necessary, and the measured impact of these action plans.”
Action point 19
Promote best practice of SMEs that adopt responsible supply chain management, especially through the « CSR Compass » tool
Promouvoir les bonnes pratiques des PME qui adoptent une gestion de la chaine d’approvisionnement responsable, notamment grâce à l’outil « CSR Compass »
The NAP presents “one of the most relevant instruments developed by the European Commission on supply chain management” being the responsible supply chain management portal, CSR Compass. Actions from the government of Wallonia will include the promoting vis-à-vis companies the ready-made instruments, also covering the CRS compass. Concretely, this will involve setting up workshops for exchanges between companies of the same sector and the creation of a practical guide for SMEs wishing to improve the ethics in their supply chain.
Action point 22
Encourage responsible supply chain management with a sector-wide approach
Encourager la gestion responsable des chaînes d’approvisionnement avec une approche sectorielle
The NAP explains that different initiatives have been taken in the past to contribute to the respect for human rights in supply chains. The “OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from ConflictAffected and High-Risk Areas” was the first example of a collaborative, multi-stakeholder initiative supported by the OECD for responsible management of mineral supply chains located in conflict areas. The NAP states that the NCP had organized a round table in 2014 with the objective of collecting reactions and questions to the “OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas”. One of the aimed actions will be for the NCP to continue its work of informing and spreading knowledge to Belgian companies on the sustainable management of the supply chains through a sectoral approach.