CAL’s 2023 Annual Report

As we release our 2023 Annual Report, meaningful change feels, for the first time in a long time, within reach. The conversation of two decades ago, where the goal was stronger statements and commitments from companies, is quickly coming to an end. Legal accountability for human rights and environmental harms in global supply chains is gaining extraordinary traction. New laws and legal precedents in many jurisdictions in the Global North and South are changing the baseline for companies, making social responsibility a matter of regulatory compliance and not just public relations. The rise of mandatory human rights due diligence and effective forced labor import bans, along with a few civil liability victories, promise to level the playing field for all companies, so that the companies who perpetuate the race to the bottom don’t have an economic advantage in the market over those that follow the law.