The tracker · Switzerland
Targeted Swiss due diligence for conflict minerals and child labour, born from the defeated Responsible Business Initiative.
Federal Council consulting on alignment of Swiss rules with the revised CSDDD baseline.
In plain language
Switzerland requires due diligence and reporting on conflict minerals and child labour from companies exceeding the relevant thresholds, as the counter-proposal that took effect after the Responsible Business Initiative narrowly failed in the 2020 referendum. First reports were published in 2023.
The Federal Council has been consulting on whether to align Swiss law with the CSDDD as revised by the omnibus, keeping equivalence with EU requirements for Swiss-headquartered multinationals. A renewed popular initiative seeking broader corporate liability is also gathering momentum, so this entry may change substantially.
Obligations
Importers and processors of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold must operate OECD-aligned management systems and report annually.
Companies with reasonable suspicion of child labour in their products or services must conduct due diligence and report.
Timeline
Responsible Business Initiative won the popular vote but failed the cantonal majority.
Counter-proposal ordinance entered into force.
First reports published.
Consultation on CSDDD alignment and a renewed popular initiative under way.
Changelog
Entry updated with the CSDDD alignment consultation status.
Sources