This year, the European Commission will introduce a proposal for a Directive on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence for companies as part of its 2021 work plan and the European Green Deal. Under the initiative of the Belgian Alliance for a Smoke Free Society, Unfairtobacco, ASH US, and the Smoke Free Partnership, tobacco control stakeholders came together to work on this important issue.

The European Green Deal aims at getting Europe on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are based on human rights and the planetary boundaries. Tobacco is thwarting sustainability in all stages of the production and consumption chain. Tobacco use causes 8 million deaths per year and is the single most preventable risk factor for all non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Therefore, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is specifically mentioned as the prime instrument to achieve SDG 3,and  namely its Target 3.A. At the same time, human rights violations and environmental destruction are rampant in the supply chain of tobacco while tobacco corporations ignore their responsibility to act upon these in a significant way.

This is why SFP, along with 69 tobacco control organisations, submitted an answer (available for download below) to the EU public consultation on sustainable corporate governance. We are calling for mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence for companies, as it is absolutely necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in order to protect and fulfil human rights obligations and avoid environmental destruction. Mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence should include transparent reports on standardized criteria, the obligation to develop and implement an ambitious plan of actions, permanent monitoring structures, enforcement and sanctions.

For further information on tobacco control and the Sustainable Development Goals, check out the SFP Spotlight on Tobacco Control and Development. 

 

List of endorsing organisations:

 

Advocacy Center ‘’LIFE’’

Airspace Action on Smoking and Health

Alliance contre le tabac

ASH

ASH Finland

ASH Ireland, Council of the Irish Heart Foundation

ASH Scotland

Asian Consultancy on Tobacco Control

Austrian Council on Smoking & Health

Austrian medical chamber

Belgian Alliance for a Smoke Free Society

BLUE 21 / Unfairtobacco

BlueLink Foundation

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Society of Finland

Catalan Institute of Oncology

CATR, Portugal

Center for public health support (Kazakstan)

Cigarette Butt Pollution Project

Comité National Contre le Tabagisme (CNCT)

Corporate Accountability

Corporate Accountability Lab

Cyprus National Addictions Authority (NAAC)

Danish Cancer Society

Department of Public Health and Social Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland

Development and Salutat Astana (Kazakstan)

DNF - Pour un Monde Sans Tabac

European Medical Student Association (EMSA)

ENSP

EuroHealthNet

European Cancer Patient Coalition

European Respiratory Society (ERS)

FCTC Implementation and Monitoring Center in Georgia

Fondation contre le cancer, Belgique

Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health

Health Care Plus UG

Health Funds for a Smokefree Netherlands

Health Promotion Foundation (Poland)

Heart Foundation of Jamaica/Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control

Heartland Initiative

Indraprastha Public Affairs Centre

Japan Society for Tobacco Control

Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance

Kosovo Advocacy & Development Centre (KADC)

Lithuanian Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition

Mexico Salud-Hable Coalition 2

Macedonian Respiratory Society

Nofumadores.org (Spain)

Norwegian Cancer Society

Progressive Reinforcement of Organizations and Individuals (PROI)

Resource Centre For Primary Health Care

Romanian Society of Pneumology

SEATCA

Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco Control

Smoke Free Israel

Smoke Free Life Coalition

Smoke Free Partnership (SFP)

Smoke-Free Bulgaria

Smokefree Kazakstan Coalition

Sociedad Uruguaya de Tabacologia

Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd (Netherlands)

Suomen ASH / ASH Finland

TerraProject

The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

The Public Health Law Center

TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland

University of Beira Interior, faculty of Health Sciences (Portugal)

XQNS, Spain

Youth Network No Excuse Slovenia