Preventing human rights abuses in the solar and wind energy sector

The transition away from fossil fuels towards cleaner forms of energy is urgently needed to address the climate emergency. However, the supply chains of solar and wind energy are complex and sometimes lack transparency. It makes it difficult for companies working within the sector to address human rights issues in the supply chain, such as forced and child labour, lack of freedom of association and impacts on the rights of local communities, by themselves. In addition, large solar and wind projects and associated infrastructure may negatively impact on the rights of local communities including indigenous peoples.  

Yesterday a group of companies in the solar and wind energy sectors committed themselves to prevent and tackle human rights and environmental risks connected to their activities. The aim of the 5-year RBC agreement which was signed yesterday and is binding on companies  is to advance compliance with international standards for responsible business conduct such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. 

The parties to the agreement, which include companies, industry associations, the Dutch government, NGOs, trade unions and knowledge institutions, will focus on mapping the value chains of individual companies and associated risks and practical experiences will be shared and collective projects started to implement improvements.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights signed the agreement. With the Secretariat of the Agreement, the Dutch Social and Economic Council (SER) and alongside CSOs and trade unions, we will support companies with our expertise in the application of international responsible business conduct standards and human rights due diligence to improve the footprint of renewable energy value chains globally. We invite more actors from industry, civil society and European governments to join the agreement to amplify its impact.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights will be closely monitoring its implementation to ensure it upholds its ambitions.