ERM, the world’s largest pure play sustainability consultancy, has announced its appointment as a human rights service provider for Open-es, a digital platform dedicated to the development of sustainable industrial supply chains.

Open-es, an alliance between the industrial, financial and associative worlds, is currently used by over 10.000 businesses to measure, improve and collaborate on environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics. The platform is open to all companies across supply chains, including SMEs and mid-sized companies.

As a human rights service provider for the Open-es Development Hub, ERM will support companies in managing human rights across their operations and value chains, including mitigating risks, ensuring access to remediation and improving transparency and disclosure. ERM will advise companies on a wide range of human rights issues, such as diversity, equity and inclusion, modern slavery, living wage, ensuring a just low carbon transition, policies and practices for responsible supply chains, indigenous peoples’ rights and Free, Prior and Informed consent engagement processes.

“ERM is delighted to join the Open-es Community, supporting companies to develop a robust process for managing human rights. Respect for human rights is a key part of thoughtfully and effectively managing ESG issues and is embedded in the notion of responsible investment.” Paola Bertolini, ERM Partner.

Companies will be required to manage human rights across their supply chains to comply with emerging European regulatory requirements, such as the EU Taxonomy and the proposed directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence. By improving human rights policies and processes, companies can proactively prevent violations, identify early-stage indicators of modern slavery, maintain their social license to operate and increase brand trust.

Being appointed as a provider for human rights services within the Open-es Development Hub strengthens ERM’s position in the ESG advisory market, broadening opportunities to work with current and new clients and their supply chains.