22
October
2025
A Human Rights Approach to Due Diligence: Reflections on key principles
This publication discusses how businesses can meet their human rights and environmental responsibilities. It focuses on key elements of mandatory human rights due diligence and presents reflections on principles from international law and EU law. The paper explains why risk-based human rights due diligence is needed and how it should be implemented. It also highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement, access to remedies, and oversight. It aims to inform EU policymakers and stakeholders about ways to effectively promote responsible business conduct and to ensure adequate protection of rightsholders.
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- Executive summary
- Introduction
- 1. Why is mandatory human rights due diligence needed?
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2. A risk-based approach within human rights due diligence
- 2.1. Business responsibility to respect human rights
- 2.2. Risk-based approach to identification and assessment of adverse impacts
- 2.3. Shared responsibility in implementing due diligence across the chain of activities
- 2.4. Ongoing monitoring in line with a risk-based approach
- 2.5. A risk-based approach to responsible disengagement
- 3. Stakeholder engagement
- 4. Access to effective remedies and civil liability
- 5. Oversight and enforcement
- About this publication
About this publication
© European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2025
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not under the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights copyright, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders.
Neither the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights nor any person acting on behalf of the Agency is responsible for the use that might be made of the following information.
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2025
HTML
- TK-01-25-034-EN-Q
- ISBN: 978-92-9489-690-2
- DOI: 10.2811/1385698
- TK-01-25-034-EN-N
- ISBN: 978-92-9489-691-9
- DOI: 10.2811/2506137
Photo credits (cover):
- Cover: © FRA
FRA – EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
Schwarzenbergplatz 11 – 1040 Vienna – Austria
T +43 158030-0 – F +43 158030-699
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