Dodging Responsibility? Not on EU’s watch -Threading the Needle: Collective Bargaining in Sweden and Bangladesh under the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

Sammanfattning

Abstract This thesis examines the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive focusing on the obligations on human rights due diligence and the directives’ protection of the right of collective bargaining. It accounts for the national legal framework regarding the right to collective bargaining in Sweden and in Bangladesh. It illustrates the collective bargaining practices within these respective frameworks focusing on Swedish MNEs, specifically examining the collective bargaining practices of textile workers employed in their retail stores in Sweden and the supply chain workers producing garments in Bangladesh. This provides an understanding of how labour rights are upheld in Sweden versus in Bangladesh and highlights the strengths and limitations of each system in protecting workers' interests and promoting fair labour conditions. Through a comparative analysis, it demonstrates differences in the legal frameworks and practices of these two contexts, highlighting Sweden’s established collective bargaining traditions and Bangladesh’s challenges with fragmented labour unions and limited enforcement of labour laws. While the CSDDD introduces obligations for multinational enterprises, its practical application may vary depending on the local legal and economic context. The thesis is concluded by highlighting the need to consider these differences when evaluating the directive’s potential to improve labour rights in global supply chains.