Dire working conditions are prevalent in the labor-intensive segments of global supply chains. Pronouncements by governments and corporations that claim to address the plight of workers are plentiful, but the enforcement of social and human rights is lacking. This volume explores the possibilities for better enforcement by: - providing a general overview of the currently considered enforcement instruments; - identifying governmental instruments that are yet to be employed; - assessing the effectiveness of social chapters in international trade agreements; - discussing the concept of corporate due diligence proposed by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In sum, the volume shows that many instruments are available to the hands of governments but as long as the political will to make effective use of them is lacking, the enforcement of human rights along the supply chain remains unacceptably deficient. The contributors are Stefan Beck (Kassel), Madelaine Moore (Kassel), Christian Scheper (Duisburg) and Alison Schultz (Kassel).

Christoph Scherrer holds an MA in economics and doctoral-level degrees in political science from Frankfurt University and the Free University Berlin. He is professor of globalization and politics at the University of Kassel, executive director of the International Center for Development and Decent Work and a member of the steering committee of the Global Labour University.