Join us for the upcoming World Banana Forum's webinar on Building Safer and Healthier Workplaces through Human Rights Due Diligence

Friday, 23 January 2026, 15:30- 17:30 CET.

REPORT: English / Spanish

RECORDING: HERE

Bananas are the world’s most exported and consumed fresh fruit, contributing significantly to global trade and food security. To ensure a more just and resilient supply chain, the implementation of Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) is gaining traction as a key strategy. HRDD provides a structured process for identifying, preventing, mitigating, and accounting for adverse human rights impacts in business operations and supply chains. As regulatory frameworks such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) take shape, companies in the banana sector – whether smallholders, exporters, importers, or retailers – must understand how to comply with these evolving obligations while also improving business performance.

This webinar will examine how integrating occupational health and safety (OHS) into human rights due diligence (HRDD) can strengthen business performance, enhance worker well-being, and foster more resilient, equitable supply chains. By applying a human rights-based and gender-sensitive approach, the session will demonstrate how advancing OHS can improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and boost worker productivity and loyalty. The session will also explore how HRDD principles can be embedded into existing OHS management systems to enhance their effectiveness and ensure comprehensive worker protection. Participants will gain practical insights and tools to identify, prevent, and mitigate OHS-related risks, particularly those affecting vulnerable groups, and align their practices with international standards and emerging regulatory requirements.

Objectives:

• Showcase how strengthening OHS through HRDD contributes to operational efficiency, cost savings, and improved worker morale and retention.
• Present tools, frameworks, and methods to assess and address OHS risks using a human rights-based approach, including gender-sensitive risk assessments.
• Highlight company experiences and good practices integrating HRDD into OHS management systems across agricultural supply chains, with lessons learned from implementation.
• Offer insights on addressing emerging OHS challenges, including sexual harassment and climate-related risks to worker safety.