In December 2019 the Dutch Banking Sector Agreement on international responsible business conduct regarding human (DBA) rights ended after three years of hard work. Although the DBA is officially at the end of its term, a final monitoring report and an accompanying steering group statement is expected in Q2 2020.
In May 2019 Parties within the Dutch Banking Sector Agreement published a paper on enabling remediation. This paper explores the role and responsibility of banks with regard to remedy, when connected to human rights impacts through client relationships.
In the beginning of November 2019, the AGT was invited to participate in two events in Bangladesh. On November 4th, the Dutch Embassy in Dhaka hosted a Round Table on the importance of purchasing practices and its effect on sustainability.
The parties and adhering banks to the Dutch Banking Sector Agreement (banks, civil society organizations, government and trade unions) mapped the human rights impacts in the oil & gas value chain from their collective areas of expertise.
The parties and adhering banks to the DBA (banks, civil society organizations, government and trade unions) mapped the human rights impacts in the gold value chain from their collective areas of expertise.
Companies active in the metals sector have gained more insight into how to get started with their due diligence. During the Kick-off Session on this subject, the companies were introduced to the Maturity Assessment Tool (MAT) for due diligence. This tool provides insight into the level of companies’ due diligence performance and helps them to further improve on this. The knowledge acquired at the session shall enable the companies put international responsible business conduct (RBC) into practice.
Under the Dutch Banking Sector Agreement, parties and banks agreed to jointly explore options for greater transparency including the development of meaningful and effective performance indicators to report on business and human rights (article 6.10.a).
Recycled gold from African scrap phones is reused in high-quality jewellery. This is the result of a collaboration between Closing the Loop and the German jewellery brand VIERI.
On 12 December 2019, the Toolbox for the Dutch Pension Funds Agreement on Responsible Investment was published in Dutch. Today, the translation of the toolbox becomes available. This Toolbox provides guidance to pension funds for the implementation of the Agreement.
An exchange of good examples of cooperation in multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) facilitated by States to promote respect for human rights inspired many participants at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva on November 27.
