Annual Compliance Convention abstract: Provide chains – Navigating ESG and Commerce-related Dangers

Professional insights on constructing a risk-aligned compliance roadmap for 2026

On the Annual Compliance convention just lately held in London, the session on ‘Provide chains – Navigating ESG and Commerce-related Dangers’ examined the intensifying ESG and trade-related dangers going through international provide chains, formed by shifting political priorities and evolving regulatory frameworks. Within the US, enforcement of pressured labour legal guidelines has change into more and more stringent, with firms going through compliance burdens. Moreover, present legal guidelines—together with the Trafficking Victims Safety Act and the Alien Tort Statute—are being creatively leveraged by plaintiffs, growing litigations dangers and carrying reputational dangers.

Within the UK, scrutiny is rising amid criticism of weak enforcement and restricted anti-forced labour provisions. Current authorities steering and proposed laws recommend extra sturdy provide chain due diligence necessities could also be on the way in which.

Throughout the EU, shifting laws—together with the EU Pressured Labour Regulation, the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and inexperienced claims guidelines—are reshaping compliance expectations. Whereas some implementation timelines have been delayed, the underlying obligations stay advanced and far-reaching, notably for firms sourcing from high-risk jurisdictions. Regardless of speak of regulatory rollbacks, the consensus was clear: ESG regulation is right here to remain.

You possibly can entry all supplies from the Annual Compliance Convention 2025 right here.

Writer
Jennifer F. Revis

Jennifer Revis is a companion in Baker McKenzie’s London workplace and co-leads our EMEA Customs Workforce.

Jennifer focuses her follow on the general public regulation of worldwide commerce, notably in a variety of customs compliance points. She repeatedly advises purchasers on import issues, together with customs valuation, guidelines of origin, and classification. She has labored with purchasers designing and implementing their compliance applications, insurance policies, procedures and threat assessments, and helping them in customs audits. She has vital expertise in managing international customs initiatives and disputes, notably within the space of customs valuation (switch pricing; assists; royalties). Jennifer additionally advises on FTAs and commerce cures issues.

Jennifer has been persistently recognised as a “Main Particular person” for Customs & Excise and “Subsequent Era Accomplice” for Commerce, WTO Anti-Dumping And Customs. Purchasers describe her as “an impressive customs lawyer and litigator with unbelievable expertise. She can also be straightforward to work with and leads her staff with aplomb”, “indubitably, probably the greatest customs legal professionals within the enterprise (…) with an exceptionally deep information of customs valuation ideas, in addition to appreciable expertise making use of these ideas in quite a lot of jurisdictions.”

Jennifer has been on secondment to the UK customs authorities (Her Majesty’s Income and Customs) of their tax and excise litigation division and to the Agency’s European Legislation Centre in Brussels.

Writer
Anahita Thoms LL.M.

Anahita Thoms heads Baker McKenzie’s Worldwide Commerce Follow in Germany and is a member of our EMEA Steering Committee for Compliance & Investigations. Anahita is World Lead Sustainability Accomplice for our Industrials, Manufacturing and Transportation Trade Group. She serves as an Advisory Board Member in revenue and non-profit organizations, corresponding to Atlantik-Brücke, and is an elected Nationwide Committee Member at UNICEF Germany. She has served for 3 consecutive phrases because the ABA Co-chair of the Export Controls and Financial Sanctions Committee and because the ABA Vice-Chair of the Worldwide Human Rights Committee. Anahita has additionally been an Advisory Board Member (Beirätin) of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Council of the German Authorities.

Anahita has gained numerous accolades for her work, together with 100 Most Influential Ladies in German Enterprise (supervisor magazin), High Lawyer (Wirtschaftswoche), Winner of the Try Awards within the class Sustainability, Pioneer within the space of sustainability (Juve), Worldwide Commerce Lawyer of the Yr (Germany) 2020 ILO Shopper Alternative Awards, Younger World Chief of the World Financial Discussion board, Capital 40 below 40, Worldwide Commerce Lawyer of the Yr (New York) 2016 ILO Shopper Alternative Awards. In 2023, Handelsblatt acknowledged her as certainly one of Germany’s Dealmaker and “most wanted advisors of the nation” within the area of sustainability.