ActionLabs

ActionLab 1 was developed for companies belonging to the priority sector:

• Food, Beverage & Personal Care

What was the focus topic for this ActionLab?

This ActionLab was designed to explore due diligence and social impact in the downstream value chain.

What does it mean to apply a human rights perspective on marketing, products & services? And what is the value of including children and teenagers in stakeholder engagement? Participants in ActionLab 1 explored the answers to these key questions.

With increasing attention from media, consumers, legislators, and investors on the health impacts of what we consume, and the emergence of legislation such as the CSDDD and CSRD, there is a need for companies to improve their understanding of how to carry out human rights due diligence and social impact assessments throughout the whole value chain.

Social impacts in the downstream value chain often receive less attention than issues such as child labour or environmental impacts, even though a company’s marketing and products or services have an enormous potential impact on child rights – especially given the increased vulnerability of children, who often benefit from special protection as consumers.

In the CSDDD, children’s access to good health through, for example, adequate nutrition and support to make informed decisions is protected and shall be included when assessing corporate impact.

In summary, there is now an urgent need for companies in the Food, Beverage & Personal Care Sector to recognise and act upon the significant impact their products and services have on children’s and teenagers’ physical, as well as mental, health.

Companies must strive for better stakeholder engagement when assessing impacts and deciding on actions to take, gaining valuable insights in the process.

What was the desired outcome for this ActionLab?

The aim was for participants to leave the workshop with a clear understanding of actionable steps and strategies that can be implemented within their organisations to drive meaningful change. The goal was to foster a commitment not only to avoid risks, but to be proactive in improving the lives of young consumers.

Participants were also invited to join to the call-to-action to “Engage children as stakeholders,” for example, by conducting impact assessments, identifying material impacts on children’s lives and including children’s and teenagers’ perspectives in product design.

• Find an Executive Summary of the points discussed during the session in the below resources section.
• Watch the Sector Insights introduction video from ActionLab 1, and find a text-based version (suitable for screen-reading software) here.

ActionLab 2 was developed for companies belonging to the priority sector:

• Technology & Telecommunications

What was the focus topic for this ActionLab?

This ActionLab was designed to explore challenges & opportunities for supporting children’s wellbeing in the digital world.

An increasing amount of attention is being paid to the dangers and potential negative effects on children and teenagers of the online world.

However, the research around children online suggests that there are not only risks but also great opportunities, including the untapped potential for business in creating safe and supportive environments and solutions for this user group.

This ActionLab looked to change the conversation to focus on how the mental health and capabilities of youth can be positively affected by online experiences, and how Technology & Telecommunications companies can reinforce wellbeing and promote safe and positive experiences online.

What was the desired outcome for this ActionLab?

The aim was for participants to leave the workshop with a clear understanding of actionable steps and strategies that can be implemented within their organisations to drive meaningful change.

The goal was to foster a commitment not only to avoid risks, but to be proactive in improving the lives of children using digital products and services.

Participants were also invited to join to the call-to-action to “Engage children as stakeholders,” for example, by conducting impact assessments, identifying material impacts on children’s lives and including children’s and teenagers’ perspectives in product design.

• Watch the Sector Insights introduction video from ActionLab 2, and find a text-based version (suitable for screen-reading software) here.

ActionLab 3 was developed for companies belonging to the priority sectors:

• Food, Beverage & Personal Care
• Technology & Telecommunications

What was the focus topic for this ActionLab?

This ActionLab was designed to explore how companies can positively impact children’s lives through supply chain due diligence & management.

With the EU and other jurisdictions making human rights due diligence mandatory and explicitly including impact on children; the UN adopting a Declaration on Future Generations at the Summit for the Future in September 2024; and the need to accelerate action to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – the time has never been more ripe to take an active approach to impacts in the supply chain.

This ActionLab focused on unravelling the complexities of upstream impact in supply chains and was designed to pivot the conversation from compliance and avoidance to achieving positive impact for children.

It aimed to explore root causes, as well as practical measures that multinational companies can implement to positively influence children’s lives through responsible supply chain management, due diligence and collaboration.

Delegates heard examples of – and were themselves invited to identify and discuss – effective strategies for creating a positive impact on children’s lives which go beyond compliance, especially in scenarios where the purchasing company has low leverage or is far removed from the issue.

What was the desired outcome for this ActionLab?

the aim was for participants to leave the workshop with a clear understanding of actionable steps and strategies that can be implemented within their organisations to drive meaningful change.

The goal was to foster a commitment to not only avoid risks, but to be proactive in improving the lives of children affected by supply chain practices.

Participants were also invited to join to the call-to-action to “Engage children as stakeholders,” for example, by conducting impact assessments, identifying material impacts on children’s and teenagers’ lives and including them in decisions around actions to take.

• Find an Executive Summary of the points discussed during the session in the below resources section.
• Watch the Sector Insights introduction video from ActionLab 3, and find a text-based version (suitable for screen-reading software) here.