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Claeson, Bjorn Skorpen --- "Making rights effective in public procurement supply chains: lessons from the electronics sector" [2019] ELECD 1143; in Martin-Ortega, Olga; Methven O'Brien, Claire (eds), "Public Procurement and Human Rights" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019) 192

Book Title: Public Procurement and Human Rights

Editor(s): Martin-Ortega, Olga; Methven O’Brien, Claire

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Section: Chapter 12

Section Title: Making rights effective in public procurement supply chains: lessons from the electronics sector

Author(s): Claeson, Björn Skorpen

Number of pages: 14

Abstract/Description:

Over the last two decades, global supply chains for consumer goods such as apparel and electronics have developed in parallel with corporate codes of conduct and social auditing as a private and voluntary alternative to labour law and state inspectors. However, there is mounting evidence that this regime of voluntary codes has failed to safeguard workers’ rights on its own. During the same period, the idea that public institutions have an obligation to protect the rights and safety of workers in their global supply chains has started to gain traction in civil society and amongst public buyers committed to socially responsible public procurement. This chapter argues that public buyers can make rights effective for workers in their supply chains by holding suppliers to enforceable contract performance requirements; ensuring workers can play a meaningful role in the labour rights monitoring process; and addressing systemic barriers to remedy which are inherent in the trading conditions in global supply chains.