Back to Regulations Page
EU | Effective: 2026

EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
Mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence

The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD or CS3D) requires companies to be much more transparent about their human rights and environmental impacts. The CSDDD is a regulation designed to help companies identify and mitigate sustainability-related risks from their supply chains and sourcing operations.

The CSDDD is a companion law to the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and a component of the EU Green Deal – the European Union’s strategy to make its economy more sustainable.

In 2024, the CSDDD will become EU law and should be transposed into national law by the Member States by 2026. At that point, the CSDDD will apply to a group of EU companies, only to encompass a host of non-EU businesses in 2029.

The CSDDD will apply to the following companies:

  1. From 2026, Group 1: EU companies with 500+ employees and €150 million+ in net annual turnover or revenue
  2. From 2028, Group 2: EU companies operating in high-impact sectors (textiles, agriculture, extraction of minerals) that don’t meet the thresholds of Group 1 but have 250+ employees and turnover of €40 million or more
  3. From 2029, Group 3: non-EU companies active in the bloc with turnover threshold aligned with Group 1, generated in the EU.
  4. From 2030, Group 4: non-EU companies active in the bloc with turnover threshold aligned with Group 2, generated in the EU.

The CSDDD will require companies to:

  1. Conduct due diligence to identify actual or potential impacts on human rights and the environment across the entire value chain
  2. Set an action plan to mitigate identified risks in their own operations and supply chain
  3. Continuously track the effectiveness of due diligence processes
  4. Be transparent about their due diligence efforts
  5. Align business strategy with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement (Group 1 and Group 3)

Getting ready for the CSDDD? Take a look at our Regulatory Snapshot. In this guide, we’ll help you understand what the directive means for your business, what you need to do, and how to do it.

Applicable to:

  • EU companies employing at least 500 persons with a turnover of over EUR 150 million
  • EU companies operating in sectors at high risk of human rights abuse employing at least 250 people with EUR 40 million turnover
  • Non-EU companies with a turnover of more than EUR 150 million in the EU
  • Non-EU companies from a high-risk sector with a turnover of at least EUR 40 million from their EU operations

The proposed EU directive establishes a corporate due diligence duty to identify and mitigate potential negative impacts on human rights and the environment within their operations or their value chains. In case of violations, a company must carry out remediation efforts, including financial compensation for the affected parties. Following the directive, the member states should establish legal liability for any reported damages.