Baroness Lola Young’s Commercial Organisations and Public Authorities Duty (Human Rights and Environment) Bill (COPAD) has passed the second reading in the House of Lords. It will now progress to the Committee Stage. The Private Members Bill seeks to raise the level of accountability on companies engaging in labour and environmental abuses in their supply chains.
The legislation will mean that UK businesses and local authorities must conduct mandatory due diligence on their operations where they relate to human rights and the environment. More significantly, they will be held to account for failure to do so.
The Bill also aims to level the playing field between businesses by requiring they all meet an equal standard of practice.
