ABSTRACT
Today, it is highly debated how to realize corporate due diligence across the global value chain. In a typical scenario, multinationals headquartered in the United States, Europe, or Japan do business through their subsidiaries, suppliers, or subcontractors in a developing country and can thereby cause human rights abuses. The question is whether and the extent to which the parent company ought to be held responsible for the human rights violations committed across its global value chain, with a view to overcoming the north-south divide and reaching common values in the international community. This chapter discusses various avenues of effecting corporate due diligence. The underlying study indicates that private international law alone does not suffice and needs to be complemented by substantive due diligence acts. It also sheds light on other expedient means, such as trade measures and soft law mechanisms, to enhance human rights protection.
