On the 6th October 2020, the IGCC SustainMarkets organised a live session on the topic of “Proficiency of Sustainable Trade: Modern Developments and the Journey Ahead” in cooperation with amfori. The live exchange took place within the framework of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce’s flagship German Days virtual event: the German Days Digitales 2020.
On the 6th October 2020, the IGCC SustainMarkets organised a live session on the topic of “Proficiency of Sustainable Trade: Modern Developments and the Journey Ahead” in cooperation with amfori. The live exchange took place within the framework of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce’s flagship German Days virtual event: the German Days Digitales 2020.
The webinar brought together five expert speakers from India and Germany to discuss the current scenario in the development of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights and the impact of sustainable trade on business. The speakers provided insights and knowledge on how adopting the NAP makes companies become more responsible players in the supply chains while staying profitable in the long-run.
India and Germany are increasing the integration of responsible business practices in their national policies. In both countries, Business and Human Rights regulations are likely to become a mainstay for business.
Mr. Stefan Halusa, Director General Designate of Indo German Chamber of Commerce, moderated the live session and provided the opening remarks on the importance of sustainable trade. In his opening statement, Mr. Halusa stated that “Free Trade” has the potential to increase the living standards and working conditions of participating countries. Sustainable trade and the adoption of Business and Human Rights will play an important role in ensuring that a large part of the society in India are benefitted from international and global trade.
“Sustainability is going to be the new normal business”, according to Markus Löning, the German Federal Human Rights Commissioner (2010 - 2013) and Managing Director of Löning – Human Rights and Responsible Business. Speaking during the live session, Mr. Löning stated that “sustainable trade and respecting human rights are interlinked topics that will become core elements for businesses to be competitive in the EU market.” Growing attention from the public, customers, and investors toward ethical practices in the supply chains as well as worldwide increase in legal frameworks are putting pressure to become more sustainable and protect human rights.
Mr. Timotheus Felder-Roussety, Counsellor, Labour Affairs - German Embassy to India stated that “Working together, hand in hand, India, and Germany can share their knowledge and experiences to support companies to fulfil their obligations for decent work”. The National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights highlights the duties and responsibilities of the state and business respectively in terms of human rights when doing business.
In the 2019 intergovernmental meeting, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed their commitment toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Human Rights protection and for greater Indo-German cooperation to support business enterprises in implementing sustainable business practices.
Mr. Naresh Tyagi, Chief Sustainability Officer - Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited (ABFRL), shares his company’s best practice for sustainability framework that allows Aditya Birla to go beyond legal obligations to create more business opportunities and benefit society at large. Highlighting the benefits of the sustainability approach taken by the ABFRL, Mr. Tyagi stated “In the last 3 years we have taken a holistic approach to sustainability in our vision, and with that commitment, we see very good progress in Environmental, Social and Governance outcomes in terms of business relevance and recognition from various global and national platforms.” He added, the Covid-19 pandemic further highlights that sustainability plays an important and central role to sustain businesses during difficult times.
During the live session, Mr. Stefan Halusa, Director-General Designate - Indo-German Chamber of Commerce expressed that for many years, “the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce has been and will continue to be engaged bringing together partners, industry leaders, government representatives, non-profit organisations, academics, and industry experts to exchange best practices, new ideas, and knowledge on sustainability, environmental and human rights protection.” Mr. Stefan Halusa further added that “Indo-German Chamber of Commerce is committed to supporting its members in the implementation of the sustainable business”.
Speaking during the live exchange, Mr. Christian Ewert, President of amfori reflects on the need for Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) as a tool for continuous improvement, especially during difficult times. Businesses need not view finding shortcomings in their supply chains during the implementation of HRDD as a negative sign. Rather, it is a positive sign that signals their attention to actively seek to improve its supply chains. He stated, “During this unprecedented time where businesses everywhere are struggling to stay afloat, and workers are taking a devastating economic hit, India in particular, there is an increase in consensus to have a harmonised Human Rights Due Diligence system”
Highlighting the role of IGCC, Mr. Stefan Halusa stated that “Indo-German Chamber of Commerce is committed to supporting its members in the implementation of the sustainable business” and the upcoming IGCC’s training on Business and Human Rights and the contents of the NAP for companies operating in India, in partnership with amfori, is the next step to move forward with this commitment. The training will be conducted within the framework of the IGCC’s NAP Project in cooperation with the ExperTS program, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
IGCC SustainMarkets is the sustainability chapter of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce. To know more, click on the link: https://indien.ahk.de/services/igcc-sustainmarkets