Businesses and private sector

What the Navigator offers

The Navigator supports businesses and private sector actors to find initiatives that clarify and respond to evolving EU due diligence expectations. It provides access to a wide range of available support on human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) funded by the European Commission, EU Member States, and international organisations. This support aims to help businesses meet due diligence expectations and to operate responsibly across global value chains.

What support can you find using the Navigator?

• Up-to-date information on EU HREDD requirements such as those stemming from the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
• Accessible information, guidance documents and recommendations on due diligence and the impact of EU sustainability legislation on global value chains.
• Tools for supply chain management, risk assessment, and reporting.
• Initiatives on industry collaboration and multi-stakeholder dialogue.
• Capacity-building programmes and training for suppliers and producers.
• Initiatives covering impact investment and supply chain finance.

If you cannot find what you’re looking for in our database, our team of experts is ready to advise you and connect you to suitable support. 

Why this matters: impacts and opportunities of EU sustainability legislation

The regulatory landscape around HREDD is rapidly evolving, with the CSDDD at the heart of this transformation. Companies within its scope will need to engage more responsibly with their global suppliers, driving greater momentum for sustainable practices and stronger human rights and environmental standards. 

The CSDDD applies only to large European companies and to a limited number of companies with a strong EU presence, however its requirements will influence their suppliers and business partners worldwide.  Although companies which fall under the scope of the Directive are not required to implement the requirements until 2029, starting early to build internal processes, data structures, and capacities offers clear advantages. Early action provides planning certainty, reduces future transition efforts, and creates a strategic competitive edge once the legislation becomes binding.

Key challenges

• Heightened expectations: if your business partners fall within the scope of the EU legislation, you will likely need to meet new expectations for transparency and may need to provide contractual assurances.
• Limited capacity: small and medium-sized enterprises may struggle with limited resources.
• Reputation: adverse human rights and environmental impacts can lead to reputational damage or even temporary suspension of business relations.

For whom is this important?

EU due diligence legislation such as the CSDDD mainly applies to large EU companies and covers a few companies outside the EU. However, even if the evolving EU legislation does not apply to your company, you are likely to face increasing due diligence-related demands from customers who are within the scope of the legislation. By referring to available support, the Navigator helps companies and the organisations that assist them to meet the evolving demands of in-scope clients and effectively utilise the opportunities arising from such legislation.

• The Navigator supports companies, SMEs, suppliers and cooperatives to prepare for new due diligence expectations and strengthen their positions as trusted suppliers.
• Industry associations, chambers and multi-stakeholder initiatives play a particularly important role, as they can support HREDD processes by providing sector-specific guidance, tools and capacity-building, and by facilitating collaboration and promoting best practices. The Navigator enables them to guide their members through the evolving sustainability landscape and to connect them with reliable EU-funded support. It also supports them in identifying partnerships, training and resources to strengthen their sector’s readiness for sustainability.