The impact on working arrangements caused by the pandemic has led many workers to re-evaluate what they want from a job, with considerations such as flexible and remote working becoming both more desirable and attainable. This is affecting businesses in all sectors, and the impact it can have not only on a business’s workforce but … Continue Reading
Christmas came early this year. Ok, not really, but the Department of Homeland Security, which chairs the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) released its strategy guidance on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act on June 17, 2022—four days ahead of schedule. Click here to view FLETF’s strategy guidance. SPB will be hosting a webinar … Continue Reading
Yesterday, SPB supply chain partner Sarah Rathke was quoted in Law360’s article entitled, “New Ocean Shipping Regs On Deck, But Inland Woes Persist,” discussing the substance and likely impacts of the new Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, which cleared Congress and is expected to be signed into law by President Biden soon. Read more … Continue Reading
Late Monday, June 13, 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued its long-anticipated Operational Importer Guidance to guide importers before the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) enters into effect on June 21. As a reminder, beginning on that date, CBP will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods coming from the Xinjiang region violate a … Continue Reading
On June 1, 2022, US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Trade Relations hosted a webinar on forthcoming implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Half of the webinar focused on the history, enactment, and text of the UFLPA (discussed in this blog’s previous posts here, here, and here), while the second … Continue Reading
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act goes into effect on June 21, 2022. The Act creates a rebuttable presumption that “any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China” (or by an entity included on a list required … Continue Reading
Our colleague, Dr. Christopher Eggers, prepared an insight on how the effects of the military conflict in Ukraine are serious, far-reaching and, ultimately, unforeseeable at the present time. Supply relationships will not remain unaffected, and there are numerous questions regarding the consequences under contract law. Read our full insight.… Continue Reading
Regulators worldwide are increasing their demands that manufacturers and retailers know and understand all aspects of their supply chains as they relate to Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) goals. Keeping the findings, communications, information, and reports generated in connection with supply chain ESG investigations is imperative to ensure full and candid fact-finding and to manage … Continue Reading
In one of the first dawn raids of the New Year, the German competition authority have raided the premises of several cable manufacturers. The investigation arose in response to alleged coordination of metal surcharge calculations.… Continue Reading
On January 24, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began soliciting comments on a strategy to ensure goods alleged to have been made with forced labor are not imported into the United States from China, including the Xinjiang region. The comment window reflects the first major requirement of a law passed by Congress addressing … Continue Reading
Happy New Year (are we still saying that?) from the Global Supply Chain Law Bog! In our ever-evolving society, the fashion industry has taken new heights. And with those heights, the industry is on pace to account for more than a quarter of the world’s carbon budget, according to the New Standard Institute. Indeed, the … Continue Reading
On December 14, 2021, lawmakers in the House and Senate announced that they had reached an agreement on compromise language for a bill known as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act or “UFLPA.” Different versions of this measure passed the House and the Senate earlier this year, but lawmakers and Congressional staff have been working … Continue Reading
Partner Sarah Rathke is pleased to present an upcoming year-end CLE in connection with Thompson Reuters entitled, “Why Is Everything Broken? Understanding Pandemic Supply Chains” on December 20, 2021 at 2:00 pm ET. This CLE will discuss areas causing stress to supply chains including changes in consumption patterns, the labor market, global diplomatic relationships, and … Continue Reading
This is a Cross-Post from The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com. Please contact Sarah Rathke with any questions. In this article written by partner Sarah Rathke, she explains dramatic strain COVID-19 has put on our logistics networks worldwide and the “‘black swan’ tsunai” effecting today’s global supply-chain.… Continue Reading
This is a Cross-Post from the Restructuring GlobalView Blog. Partner Simon Garbett discusses the impact on the supply chain following the lifting of the coronavirus restrictions in the UK. To learn how UK businesses are addressing the supply chain issues, read the full article here.… Continue Reading
Partner Sarah Rathke is pleased to present “Why Is Everything Broken? Understanding Supply Chains in 2021” on December 9, 2021 at 11 a.m. EDT. This webinar will discuss the causes of the current supply chain logjams, put them into historical context and will outline various paths forward. As the holidays approach, our sponsor and our … Continue Reading
This is a Cross-Post by Reuters. Please contact Sarah Rathke with any questions. Partner Sarah Rathke discussed with Reuters on how A.I. and digital twin technology can aid to help solve supply chain disruptions and the potential data privacy complications companies might encounter when sharing detailed supply chain data. You can view the video interview … Continue Reading
This is a Cross-Post from the Capital Thinking Blog. Please contact Ludmilla Kasulke with any questions. Recent legislation aimed at reducing commodity-driven illegal deforestation around the world calls for transparency in companies’ global supply chains. Our colleagues Ludmilla Kasulke and Yiannis Vandris discuss the details of the Fostering Overseas Rule of Law and Environmentally Sound … Continue Reading
This is a Cross-Post from Capital Thinking blog. Please contact Ludmilla Kasulke with any questions. As Milla Kasulke reports at our Capital Thinking Blog, the Department of Defense is seeking comments on four supply chain topics identified by the agency, in connection with President Biden’s February 24, 2021 Executive Order entitled, “America’s Supply Chains.” Comments … Continue Reading
We made the Wall Street Journal today in an article discussing recent efforts by suppliers to provide for greater price flexibility in their supply chain contracts, quoting supply chain partner Sarah Rathke. While price escalation clauses are well known in some industries (for instance, energy) and in some geographical markets (for instance, at times, in … Continue Reading
Companies based or doing business in agricultural areas in the U.S. could soon be under increased scrutiny from the federal government, including Congressional investigators, stemming from labor trafficking of unaccompanied migrant children and teens. This year alone, over 90,000 minors attempted to cross the U.S. When stopped at or near the border, the children are … Continue Reading
U.S. companies importing certain products from China may be facing additional supply chain challenges in the near future. On July 14, 2021, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (“UFLPA”) was passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate. It now moves to the House, where it is expected to pass easily—a previous version of the bill passed … Continue Reading
Continuing the trend toward increased oversight of forced labor in supply chains (see our post from last week on groundbreaking German legislation in this space), on March 18, 2021, the US Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on “fighting forced labor.” Specifically, the hearing will focus on “[c]losing the loopholes and improving customs enforcement … Continue Reading
Earlier this month, the German government resolved to approve a new supply chain law that would impose unprecedented obligations on German companies to control labor and control practices – not only of their own operations, but within their supplier as well. Determining that “voluntary compliance” supply chain laws, which require companies to monitor and report … Continue Reading
