Lecture „Industry Dialogues as Strategy to Implement Due Diligence Legislation“

Title: Industry Dialogues as Strategy to Implement Due Diligence Legislation

Speaker:  Maren Leifker, United Nations Global Compact

Date & Time: 12 November 2025, 16:00-18:00

Location: Online (request link via gsvc@hwr-berlin.de) and Campus Lichtenberg, room House 6B, Room 6B259.

In recent years, so-called Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) have proliferated. These instruments enable companies to exchange knowledge and experiences on sector-specific risks, involve stakeholders, and pool leverage in order to jointly address structural challenges in global supply chains. They are therefore often regarded as effective mechanisms for the implementation of due diligence standards.

At the same time, MSIs are subject to critical scrutiny. Many are considered insufficient in delivering measurable sustainability outcomes and, in particular, in improving the situation of rights-holders.

The lecture will explore these debates and provide a practice-oriented insight into the Automotive Sector Dialogue, a flagship initiative launched by the German government in 2020. 

Maren Leifker is a lawyer with a PhD on corporate liability under the CSDDD. She has extensive experience in business and human rights, including her role as Senior Policy Advisor at the German NGO Brot für die Welt and as a civil society representative on the BAFA stakeholder advisory board. Since July 1, she has been with the UN Global Compact Network Germany, coordinating the Sector Dialogue with the automotive industry.

This lecture is part of our Lecture Series in the winter semester 25/26. Find the full program here.