Our experience advising on sensitive, high-stakes investigations, criminal, regulatory and civil litigation and compliance and reputational risk means we give practical, realistic support to clients in this fast-changing area.
We advise on the full range of business ethics, human rights and product liability, whether related to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), governance, supply chain, manufacturing or consumer-based issues.
We advise on compliance programmes, carry out due diligence, deliver strategic advice and training, conduct internal investigations and defend active external disputes and investigations. We are regularly involved in the early stages following identification of an issue, managing dawn raids and whistleblowers, advising on self-disclosure, and managing crisis situations.
We are market leaders for anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering, cartels, health & safety, trading standards, fraud and sanctions and export controls. Our team has experience with multi-jurisdictional regulations and frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the UK and Australian Modern Slavery Acts, the GRI Standards, the Alien Tort Statute, the FAR Anti-Trafficking Rules for Government Contractors, the Californian Transparency in Supply Chains Act, the French Duty of Vigilance, the Netherlands’ Child Labour Due Diligence Act, ISO standards and the rules on conflict minerals. We regularly advise in global investigations and compliance matters by working with our trusted network of legal partners on international projects.
We can assist with:
- Reputational risk and crisis management;
- Criminal, regulatory and civil proceedings and enforcement action involving human rights, and complaints or cases involving National Contact Points for the OECD Guidelines;
- Human rights internal and external investigations;
- Criminal, civil and or regulatory litigation arising out of product / service liability – including trading standards, industry regulation breaches or health and safety concerns;
- Corporate travel risk issues arising out of ISO 31030;
- Compliance with enacted supply chain transparency and reporting requirements as well as pending and proposed regulatory requirements and ‘soft law’ instruments including industry and NGO standards, codes, guidance and frameworks;
- Slavery and supply chain policies, procedures and codes of conduct, including drafting, implementation, ensuring controls are embedded and monitoring ongoing compliance;
- Developing and managing operational level grievance mechanisms, procedures for whistleblowing and approach to remediation;
- Human rights and supply chain benchmarking, risk assessment and due diligence;
- Business ethics, including sanctions, financial crime and anti-corruption;
- Human security;
- Regulatory matters involving environmental, social and governance (ESG); and
- Bespoke training for all employees up to board level.