End of the road for transnational corporations?

This report by Friends of the Earth International discusses the French 'duty of vigilance' law passed in March 2017, which aims to hold parent and subcontracting companies accountable for human rights and environmental violations. The document examines the law's implementation through case studies involving Total, Société Générale, and French retail chains, while suggesting that a draft treaty could internationalise these standards and improve victims' access to justice.

• The French law on the 'duty of vigilance' for parent and subcontracting companies was enacted on March 23, 2017, following civil society campaigns. It is described as a significant measure to combat the impunity of transnational corporations regarding environmental pollution and the violation of rights for local communities and workers.
• The report utilizes three specific cases to illustrate the intended interpretation of the duty of vigilance law: Total's palm oil 'biorefinery' in La Mède, Société Générale's support for the Rio Grande LNG fracked gas export terminal in the US, and the relationship between French retail chains and the banana industry in Ecuador.
• There is an opportunity to use a draft treaty to expand the French law's reach internationally and address its deficiencies, specifically concerning the ability of victims to access justice.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). End of the road for transnational corporations? https://www.foei.org/publication/end-of-the-road-for-transnational-corporations/

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. End of the road for transnational corporations? n.d. https://www.foei.org/publication/end-of-the-road-for-transnational-corporations/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=End of the road for transnational corporations? |url=https://www.foei.org/publication/end-of-the-road-for-transnational-corporations/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalndend, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{End of the road for transnational corporations?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/publication/end-of-the-road-for-transnational-corporations/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }