CKN Research Project Workshop - Responsible Business Conduct in the Global South

The Netherlands has been a global frontrunner in advancing Responsible Business Conduct (RBC). Through a combination of legislation, government support mechanisms, targeted subsidies and research funding, Dutch policymakers have helped shape corporate social and environmental responsibility across global value chains.

However, as global markets undergo profound regulatory changes, a critical question emerges: Are Dutch approaches adequately accounting for how RBC is defined and implemented in the Global South?

The extraterritorial reach of EU sustainability legislation is reshaping corporate compliance worldwide. Yet compliance methods developed in the EU do not always align with local regulatory and compliance priorities elsewhere. In China, for example, labour protests in the manufacturing sector reportedly increased tenfold in 2023 following contract reductions by European buyers, showing the unintended consequences of EU-aligned compliance decisions

What’s less known is that several Southern jurisdictions are embedding RBC within broader development requirements. China requires listed companies to disclose how rural development and poverty alleviation are integrated into business strategies and operations. India mandates qualifying companies to allocate certain net profits to social development projects. Kazakhstan requires subsoil operators to contribute to local socio-economic development and workforce upskilling.

While the momentum behind RBC is increasingly global, the regulatory logics and corporate compliance remain diverse. For Dutch policymakers, understanding these differences is essential for improving due diligence guidelines, refining risk indicators and strengthening the effectiveness of cross-border RBC governance.

To that end, a CKN-funded research project, led by Dr Qiao Cong-rui and Dr Yulia Levashova, will convene international scholars and practitioners for an interactive workshop on 22 October 2026 in The Hague. It will feature first-hand and comparative insights from an unmissable lineup:

· Key drafter for the Business and Human Rights section of China’s National Human Rights Action Plan.

· Leading counsels designing and advising RBC compliance in India and Kazakhstan.

· Socio-legal researchers examining RBC approaches in Brazil, South Africa and Kyrgyzstan.

· Frontline practitioners specialising in EU, US and Dutch corporate governance of RBC.

Practical Information

Date: Thursday, 22 October 2026

Time: 13:30 – 17:00 CET

Venue: Room 2B.56, Spuigebouw (Spui 5, 2511 BL, The Hague)

About the Speakers

• Dr. Cong-rui Qiao: Dr. Cong-rui Qiao investigates the critical gap between legal requirements and equitable outcomes, shifting sustainability from a legal burden into a strategic opportunity for decisional and operational changes within governments and companies across Europe and China.
• Dr. Yulia Levashova: Dr. Yulia Levashova is an Associate Professor at Nyenrode Business Universiteit and Director of Dispute Prevention, Asia Pacific FDI Network (APFN). She is an international arbitration scholar and practitioner.