Switzerland: National Council adopts draft law establishing reasonable due diligence requirement for multinationals

In order to avoid a more demanding law, which could result from the so-called ‘responsible business initiative’, and a vote on the issue, the lower house of the Swiss parliament decided to bring forward legislation that would oblige companies to incorporate due diligence in the protection of human rights. If the ‘counter proposal’ is adopted by the Federal Council (the government’s executive body) as it is, the associations that initially promoted the initiative are expected to withdraw it.