Public buyers have huge potential to drive human rights due diligence (HRDD), thanks to the scale and scope of their buying power and leverage. They contract the private sector to deliver a vast range of goods and services to meet the needs of their citizens, from building roads to buying bananas for schools and hospitals.

Since 2016, Electronics Watch has supported affiliated public buyers to promote and protect the rights of workers in their electronics supply chains. Our unique worker-driven approach enables more effective supply chain due diligence and provides evidence about risks and violations to support the remediation of human rights abuses.

With the Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) Programme, we expanded our model into automotive supply chains, focusing on minerals, electronics and batteries. Now, in response to growing demand from public authorities, our Innovation Pilot builds on lessons learned to address HRDD across high-risk procurements.

What will the Innovation Pilot do?

The three-year Innovation Pilot will enable public authorities to support workers across all high-risk purchasing categories. It will build their capacity to comply with regulatory requirements, and to uphold their own policy commitments, using public procurement leverage.

It will support public buyers to:

• Improve evidence-based decision-making
• Increase their ability to prevent and manage risks in their supply chains
• Improve supplier engagement with increased knowledge of risks
• Engage collectively with suppliers to increase leverage in specific sectors
• Learn best practice from peers around the world.

Who can join?

Any public authority who wants to meet their human rights due diligence and modern slavery obligations. Current Electronics Watch affiliates that purchase goods and services beyond ICT / LEV are also welcome to join.

The Electronics Watch Innovation Pilot began in autumn 2024, with the launch of the Knowledge Building Series.