Gibson Dunn partner Markus Rieder (Munich) and Juergen Gleichauf, chief compliance officer and chief human rights officer at Mercedes-Benz, discuss the challenges for companies in meeting the mandatory human rights and environmental obligations established by the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). These include transitioning from national laws to the newly established European directive, and managing risks and setting up remediation measures in a complex supply chain. Juergen also shares examples of how companies can effectively implement a human rights-led corporate strategy.

Partner Robert Spano (London and Paris) and of counsel Selina Sagayam (London) discuss the rationale behind the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and review key points that led to its establishment. They explain which companies are in scope, the next steps in the directive’s implementation, measures that companies can adopt to ensure compliance, and the potential liabilities for breach of CSDDD’s obligations.