Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) is seen as the best practice for companies to deeply understand their supply chains and proactively identify, address, and prevent labor exploitation and human rights abuses. However, many companies feel overwhelmed by the effort, lacking capacity and clear guidance to navigate the complexity of implementation.
At FishWise, we focus on practical applications and solutions for industry, and through our research, we identified three fundamentals of HRDD that companies often miss but should be the backbone of any HRDD approach. This research, based on interviews with over 30 stakeholders, highlights effective strategies to ensure robust HRDD implementation that prioritizes the rights of workers.
What surfaced from our research were 3 fundamentals within HRDD that companies often miss, but that add depth and rigor to their process:
- Keep Workers at the Core: Keeping workers at the center of HRDD means prioritizing their perspectives, participation, and rights at every stage of the process. By integrating worker voices, partnering with trusted organizations, and enabling worker-led efforts, companies can identify root causes, address risks proactively, and drive meaningful change that benefits seafood workers and strengthens supply chains.
- Take Action Within the Local Context: How does a company move from assessing risks to driving meaningful change for seafood workers? By prioritizing supply chains with the highest risks and greatest potential for impact, engaging local collaborators, and creating targeted action plans rooted in worker experiences. Collaboration across the industry amplifies these efforts, enabling shared learning, increased leverage, and sustainable improvements while reducing burdens on workers.
- Build a Strong Foundation: Building a strong HRDD foundation means embedding human rights into every aspect of your business, from company culture to procurement practices. Align staff, resources, and leadership around human rights commitments, ensure fair investment across supply chains, and adapt your buying practices to avoid contributing to risks—all while fostering collaboration and leveraging external expertise for lasting impact.
Click here to read the full report where we explore practical actions you can take immediately to take your HRDD approach to the next level. Also check out the webinar recording to learn about the key takeaways of this report.
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Check out FishWise’s blog series, “Human Rights Due Diligence Snapshots.”
