Italy

By Daniel Morris | 27. November 2017

I. Statement of Commitment

[page 5]

To protect human rights, Italy undertakes to: …

Reinforce, cooperate with and develop industrial relations between social partners and multi-stakeholders’ initiatives to achieve better implementation of human rights in the conduction of economic activities, in specific business sectors and along the entire supply chain.”

A. Foundational Principles

[page 11]

… As to OECD, the Italian Government -through its OECD NCP-gives particular attention to due diligence and responsible supply chain management, also through multi-stakeholder initiatives. The Italian Government endorsed the G7 Declaration including the commitments related to sustainable supply chains. On the occasion of the Meeting of the G7 Employment and Development Ministers (Berlin, 12-13 October 2015) the “Action for Fair Production” initiative was approved by Ministers in order to foster sustainable global supply chain management in compliance with the internationally recognized labour, social, and environmental standards of the United Nations, the OECD and the ILO …

Responsible Business Conduct and OECD Due Diligence

[page 18]

… Since the 2011 review of the OECD Guidelines, the NCP developed tools to make international standards operational especially for SMEs such as the “Due Diligence Guidance for SMEs and activities for awareness raising and pilot projects involving large companies and SMEs with the aim of spurring a proactive responsible supply chain management through training, information and assistance. (…) Such activities at national level are accompanied by active participation to the OECD proactive Agenda projects, such as the “OECD Sector Project on Responsible Supply Chains in the Textile and Garment Sector” and other EU and international initiatives. Other OECD guidance for due diligence are promoted among companies such as the “OECD – FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chain” and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-affected and High-Risk Areas …

Planned Measures

[page 19-20]

Support and promote the initiatives adopted by the Enterprises associations on human rights, such as the recent European project “Global Industrial Relations, Transnational Company Agreements and Corporate Social Responsibility” led by Confindustria, jointly with the German and French business confederations and the Training Centre of the ILO in Turin. The project, that deals with the respect for human rights at global level, focuses on the available instrument for enterprises for a sustainable management of the global supply chain; …

Promote common understanding of due diligence among companies and strongly encourage companies to engage in human rights policy and due diligence processes involving the entire supply chain; Participate to initiatives in the context of the OECD, EU and other international fora on sustainable supply chains, human rights and due diligence. …

Supporting Business Respect for Human Rights in Conflict-Affected Areas

[page 23]

… Furthermore, the Government is involved in the process of elaboration of a EU Regulation “setting up a Union system for supply chain due diligence self-certification of responsible importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating in conflict affected and high-risk areas” for a responsible trading strategy from minerals from conflict zones.

Planned Measures

[page 25]

Contribute through the exchange with governments and social partners on best practices and approaches to the general discussion on “Decent work in global supply chain” started in the framework of the 105^th session of the 2016 International Labour Conference.

Italy’s Updated NAP

III. ITALY’S EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS BUSINESS

(page 8)

In 2017 EU passed the new Regulation (EU) 2017/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The Regulation meets the EU countries commitments to breaking the link between armed conflicts, crimes and illegal exploitation of minerals which often implies serious human rights abuses. EU companies in the supply chain are required to adopt due diligence to ensure they import these minerals and metals from responsible and conflict-free sources only. The new Regulation will take effect on 1 January 2021.

B. OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLES

(page 21-22)

The partial revision of the aforementioned Plan [Public Consumption Sustainability Action Plan (PAN GPP)]was aimed at strengthen the task of pursuing social protection and ethic goals with particular focus to human rights protection and the right to decent work in the supply chain.

The traceability of the supply chain established following the investigation on products according to the Minimum Environmental Criteria which procurement stations are obliged to include in the all project documentation in line with article 34 of the new Public Procurement Code (Legislative Decree n. 50/2016), may be used also to verify the respect of specific rights related to workers, their wages and other aspects on safety and working conditions also in the supply chain.

Besides the “Guida per l’integrazione degli aspetti sociali negli appalti pubblici” (adopted with Ministerial Decree of 6 June 2012) which gives indications to include social criteria in the contractual activities of public administrations by referring to minimum human rights standard and working conditions (ILO Conventions) in the supply chain of public procurement, specific indications on human rights due diligence have been integrated within the Minimum Environmental Criteria such as those defined with regard to textile products and adopted with Ministerial Decree of 11 January 2017.