Event Details

Professor Stephanie Barrientos will present a seminar to the Management Science Department

Abstract: Civil society campaigns in the 1990s and beyond led to the rise of ’voluntary’ sustainability (social and environmental) standards (VSS) applied to suppliers by multinational companies (MNCs). These aim to address poor labour and environmental conditions in global value chains (GVCs). Yet, research has indicated: (i) power imbalances between buyers and suppliers reflected in tensions between MNC commercial practices and their requirements on sustainability compliance placed on suppliers; (ii) compliance has failed to address many abuses, particularly for precarious workers, smallholders and communities at the base of supply chains. The failures of VSS have contributed to movement towards more regulatory approaches. This shift is encapsulated in the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and related regulations, promoting human rights and environment due diligence (HREDD) across the GVCs of large companies operating in the EU.

This paper critically examines the shift from VSS towards regulatory HREDD, and asks what are the implications for precarious workers, smallholders and communities at the base of global value chains? It focuses on four dimensions:

· Why has the proliferation of voluntary sustainability standards proved ineffective for enhancing worker and smallholder livelihoods?

· What are the drivers of regulatory approaches, how do they compare to voluntary approaches?

· To what extent could shifting governance of sustainability in GVCs enhance fairer trade in GVCs?

The paper draws on 25 years of research on VSs in agri-food and garments value chains, with a focus on gender, precarious workers and smallholders in the global South. This is complemented by research conducted between 2023-25 focused on HREDD funded by a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship. This involved over 35 key informant interviews with stakeholders (including companies, trade unions, NGOs, trade associations, multistakeholder initiatives, government and international bodies) conducted in person or virtually in the UK, Europe, Africa and Asia. The paper comprises part of a planned book on Fairer Trade in Global Supply Chains planned for open access publication in 2026.