What “due diligence obligation” means in plain language
Due diligence is best understood as a process obligation (not a guarantee that nothing goes wrong). In practice it means the company should:
- identify and assess risks of harm
- take action to prevent or reduce harm
- track effectiveness and improve
- respond when issues occur, including enabling remedy where relevant
- document and communicate what is done and why
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Think of human rights due diligence as a disciplined way to answer four questions repeatedly
- What could go wrong, and where? (mapping and risk identification)
- What matters most? (prioritisation based on severity and likelihood)
- What will we do about it? (prevention/mitigation; stopping harm where it occurs; supporting partners)
- How do we know it works, and what do we change? (monitoring, verification, and continuous improvement)
A useful way to frame this for beginners: human rights due diligence is a process obligation: you are expected to act reasonably and systematically, not to promise perfection.