For legislation on responsible business conduct to be effective and have sufficient impact, it is essential that it applies to all businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Meeting responsible business conduct (RBC) standards by conducting due diligence is not necessarily harder or easier for SMEs than for large companies; it is different. It is important that government authorities provide SMEs with appropriate support and that supervisory authorities promote the ability of SMEs to learn and improve. By conducting due diligence, SMEs contribute to preventing human rights abuse and environmental damage in their value chains, such as child labour, deforestation and climate damage.
Photo: Clyde Robinson (Flickr, CC)
