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THIS EVENT IS BY INVITATION-ONLY.

In the Trade Strategy, HMG launched a review of how businesses operating in the UK ensure responsible business conduct across their global supply chains.

As part of this, the Office for Responsible Business Conduct (ORBC), the team within the Department for Business and Trade leading the review, is organising a series of roundtables to gather insights from across the economy.

ORBC is delighted to facilitate a roundtable with members of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to support the review. The findings of the event would feed into our policy development and analysis, helping to inform the recommendations that are made to ministers at the end of the review.

The objectives of the roundtable are to:

  • Understand business processes around identifying and preventing supply chain harms
  • Gather feedback on the existing policy approach in the UK, such as disclosure rules and voluntary guidelines  
  • Hear views on alternative options that the UK Government could consider, such as voluntary measures, mandatory measures, import controls, and state-access to remedy

Event details:

·         Date & Time: Monday 20th October, 2025, 10am-12.30pm

·         Location: The Form Rooms, 22 Tower St, London WC2H 9NS

·         Audience: Heads of Sustainability, Heads of Responsible Sourcing

Event agenda:

Time

Session

Details

10:00 – 10:15

Welcome & Introductions

BRC, DBT

Housekeeping, Competition Law, Chatham House Rule

10:15 – 11:00

Government Overview

DBT presentation on the RBC review scope and goals

11:00 – 11:45

Business Perspectives

Discussion on regulatory alignment, cost minimisation, and international coherence.

Member reflections on due diligence practices:

·         Thinking about your own approach to identifying and addressing human rights and environmental harms in your supply chains, what are the main challenges and opportunities you face?

·         What are your experiences with RBC policies focused on supply chains that have been introduced in other jurisdictions? Are there elements you think have worked well or less well?

·         What views do you have on how RBC policies are currently being enforced, either in the UK or overseas?

·         What interventions, if any, would you want to see from the UK government on RBC in supply chains and why?

·         What are the benefits vs downsides of horizontal (broader, risk-based rules) vs vertical (issue-specific) measures?

·         What guidance or support would you like to see from the Government? Are there other capacity building measures that would be helpful?

·         How might any interventions align with the government’s objective to lower administrative costs on businesses over the course of the parliament?

11:45 – 12:15

Case Studies & Sector Insights

HREDD in action: Member presentations

12:15 – 12:30

Wrap up & close

BRC/DBT