Annual Compliance Conference summary: Supply chains – Navigating ESG and Trade-related Risks
At the Annual Compliance conference recently held in London, the session on ‘Supply chains – Navigating ESG and Trade-related Risks’ examined the intensifying ESG and trade-related risks facing global supply chains, shaped by shifting political priorities and evolving regulatory frameworks. In the US, enforcement of forced labour laws has become increasingly stringent, with companies facing compliance burdens. Additionally, existing laws—including the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the Alien Tort Statute—are being creatively leveraged by plaintiffs, increasing litigations risks and carrying reputational risks.
In the UK, scrutiny is growing amid criticism of weak enforcement and limited anti-forced labour provisions. Recent government guidance and proposed legislation suggest more robust supply chain due diligence requirements may be on the way.
Across the EU, shifting regulations—including the EU Forced Labour Regulation, the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and green claims rules—are reshaping compliance expectations. While some implementation timelines have been delayed, the underlying obligations remain complex and far-reaching, particularly for companies sourcing from high-risk jurisdictions. Despite talk of regulatory rollbacks, the consensus was clear: ESG regulation is here to stay.
You can access all materials from the Annual Compliance Conference 2025 here.
Anahita Thoms heads Baker McKenzie’s International Trade Practice in Germany and is a member of our EMEA Steering Committee for Compliance & Investigations. Anahita is Global Lead Sustainability Partner for our Industrials, Manufacturing and Transportation Industry Group. She serves as an Advisory Board Member in profit and non-profit organizations, such as Atlantik-Brücke, and is an elected National Committee Member at UNICEF Germany. She has served for three consecutive terms as the ABA Co-chair of the Export Controls and Economic Sanctions Committee and as the ABA Vice-Chair of the International Human Rights Committee. Anahita has also been an Advisory Board Member (Beirätin) of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Council of the German Government.
Anahita has won various accolades for her work, including 100 Most Influential Women in German Business (manager magazin), Top Lawyer (Wirtschaftswoche), Winner of the Strive Awards in the category Sustainability, Pioneer in the area of sustainability (Juve), International Trade Lawyer of the Year (Germany) 2020 ILO Client Choice Awards, Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Capital 40 under 40, International Trade Lawyer of the Year (New York) 2016 ILO Client Choice Awards. In 2023, Handelsblatt recognized her as one of Germany’s Dealmaker and “most sought after advisors of the country” in the field of sustainability.
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