Government procurement initiatives

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Governments continue to explore ways to incorporate higher ethical considerations into their procurement programs. Businesses that cannot certify or demonstrate how they meet certain human rights requirements may be shut out of bids. For BHR-related developments in Canada’s procurement policies, see Canadian legislative and policy initiatives.

For example: Article 57 of the EU Directive on Public Procurement

  1. Contracting authorities shall exclude an economic operator from participation in a procurement procedure where they have established, by verifying in accordance with Articles 59, 60 and 61, or are otherwise aware that that economic operator has been the subject of a conviction by final judgment for one of the following reasons:
    (f) child labour and other forms of trafficking in human beings as defined in Article 2 of Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (7).