Large companies could face new obligations to manage the impact of their own operations and those of supply chain partners under the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), coming into force by July 2026.
The new Directive applies to businesses based in the EU with 1,000+ employees and a net worldwide turnover of over €450 million, or non-EU companies that generated €450+ million in net turnover within the EU.
Ahead of its implementation, Bureau Veritas and Ardea International have joined forces to help businesses navigate the changes with a series of panel discussions, featuring sustainability, human rights and supply chain experts.
The four-part series will support supply chain managers and environmental professionals to understand the evolving regulatory landscape in human rights and environmental due diligence, learn how to achieve compliance and identify strategies to drive continuous improvement.
CSDDD aims to ensure that companies active in the EU contribute to ‘sustainable development and the sustainability transition of economies and societies’ – counteracting the unequal distribution of raw materials and preventing the pollution of air, water and soil.
Its focus is on businesses in key sectors such as manufacturing, textiles, food and beverage, agriculture, forestry and material extraction, where global operations and complex supply chains can have a significant impact on human rights and the environment.
Hosted online and available to view on demand, the panel discussions will set out what due diligence means within the CSDDD, and present real-world examples of due diligence risk process and understanding. The discussions will also present case studies on how human rights and environmental due diligence have been tracked, and explore methodologies to assess, approve and maintain ethical performance within your supply chain.
The four discussions bring together the collaborative expertise of Bureau Veritas, a global leader in compliance and risk management across all aspects of sustainability, health, safety and quality, and Ardea International, a specialist sustainability, business and human rights consultancy.
The series, titled Responsible Supply Chains in ACTion will be hosted live via Microsoft Teams monthly up to March 2026.
Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, and each discussion will be made available to view on demand. Organisations are encouraged to register for updates at www.bureauveritas.co.uk/contact-us.
Taking steps to manage impacts
Ken Smith, Vice-President, Sustainability and Safety for Bureau Veritas Europe, said: “Global supply chains are becoming ever more complex, with new requirements around key issues around environment and human rights only adding to the challenges for organisations.
“The goal of the CSDDD is for an organisation to put in place clear due diligence processes that manage and mitigate risk through the supply chain.
“It is clear that many organisations see environment (such as scope 3) human rights in the supply chain as a risk that needs assessing and managing. However, despite its significance, we know from speaking to organisations already that many are still unaware of the changes, or what the new Directive means for them.
“We’re aiming to change that, equipping key individuals with the information they need to take control of their supply chain and also enable simple linkage and leverage from other regulatory / best practice requirements.”
Colleen Theron, founder of Ardea International, said: “Social and environmental sustainability doesn’t just live in theory, but in the actions of practitioners across sectors. Embedding a robust due diligence system has the power to mitigate risk, build resilience and create opportunities for businesses.
“The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive should be viewed as a potential catalyst for growth. At the same time, it is important to acknowledge the significant challenges professionals have faced in recent years, driven both by ongoing legislative uncertainty and by the increasing demands of compliance-related responsibilities.
“Our mission with this series, collaborating with Bureau Veritas, is therefore to empower individuals to reach legislative compliance, and embed effective systems and policies to develop best practices.”
