The Observatory
Private companies are among the biggest drivers of value and impact – economic, environmental and social, positive and negative alike. Protecting and promoting human rights is therefore also their responsibility, and depends on their ability to manage responsibly both their own operations and their value chains.
On this front, the United Nations Guiding Principles on business and human rights set out clear recommendations as far back as 2011; yet they have gained limited traction among Italian companies.
This is what led Avanzi to launch an Observatory dedicated to tracking corporate policies and strategies on human rights.
The Italian Observatory on Business and Human Rights (OIIDU) aims to spark public debate, serving as a reference point for documentation, research and advocacy in this field among stakeholders.
For companies, OIIDU acts as a partner that:
The Annual Report
Through its research work and the publication of an annual Report, OIIDU tracks the national landscape, giving businesses access to a hub of public information on approaches, challenges and case studies.
The Report provides an up-to-date picture of the key trends, regulations and challenges at play, while highlighting both good practice and gaps in companies’ progress toward international standards.
Human Rights in the Agri-Food Supply Chain: What Role for Large-Scale Retail?
The third edition of the Report takes, for the first time, a sector-specific focus: it looks at the role of the food industry and large-scale retail in advancing respect for human rights along production chains.
Data, perspectives and levers for change in one of the most strategic – and most critical, from a human rights standpoint – sectors of the Italian economy.
A System on the Move Toward the EU Directive
Business and human rights: where do we stand?
“There are signs of change. Perhaps it’s because approval of the due diligence directive is imminent, perhaps because investors are asking increasingly pointed questions, or perhaps because sustainability issues are simply gaining ground in the minds of business leaders – either way, the system is starting to shift.”
That’s the opening line of OIIDU’s second research Report: the result of a year of analysis and research covering a sample of 50 Italian companies (40 listed and 10 large unlisted firms).
A System on the Move Toward the EU Directive
Business and human rights: where do we stand?
“There are signs of change. Perhaps it’s because approval of the due diligence directive is imminent, perhaps because investors are asking increasingly pointed questions, or perhaps because sustainability issues are simply gaining ground in the minds of business leaders – either way, the system is starting to shift.”
That’s the opening line of OIIDU’s second research Report: the result of a year of analysis and research covering a sample of 50 Italian companies (40 listed and 10 large unlisted firms).
The Capacity Building Programme
The Observatory is more than a monitoring tool, it’s also a hub for innovation: a space where the information gathered is used not only to foster dialogue among practitioners, but to fuel evidence-based public debate.
With this goal in mind, we designed the Capacity Building Programme for businesses.
The first edition took place in 2024: a learning path built around dialogue and peer learning, featuring webinars led by sector experts, workshops focused on the practical application of key principles, and roundtables exploring emerging issues and human rights crisis scenarios.
The latest edition was designed to:
Through dedicated sessions, the programme also encourages participation from every business function involved: sustainability, procurement, legal affairs, compliance, risk management and human resources, building a shared language and shared purpose across teams.
Strategic Support for Human Rights Due Diligence
Alongside its work with OIIDU, Avanzi offers companies hands-on advisory support in designing the overall framework for a human rights due diligence process, including the preparation for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
This strategic support guides companies through understanding and implementing the measures needed to meet the highest standards in this field, and to ensure respect for human rights across the entire value chain.
News (Italian only)
L’altra faccia del Made in Italy. La lunga battaglia per i diritti nel distretto tessile di Prato
