The RCP Toolkit
The Responsible Contracting Project (RCP) Toolkit contains practical and versatile tools that companies can use to improve the human rights and environmental performance of their contracts and, by extension, their supply chains. The templates for due diligence-aligned contracting are in sync with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct. The tools are also modular, acknowledging that one size does not—and should not—fit all and can be used independently or together, depending on the user's needs.
Newest Tools:
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UN Global Compact Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement: Responsible Contracting In Sustainable Procurement (Feb. 2025)
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The Zero Draft Responsible Investor Model Clauses (RIMCs) (Feb. 2025)
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RCP Policy Brief: "What the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) Says About Contracts" (July 2024)
Model Contract Clauses
The MCCs 2.0 translate the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct (OECD Guidance) into contractual obligations that can be included in supply contracts for the manufacturing and sale of goods. Because they are modular, businesses can choose which clauses to adopt or adapt in their supply chain contracts. The RCP team will edit and modify the MCCs 2.0 to suit the needs of different stakeholders.
To access the MCCs 2.0, click here.
The Supplier Model Contract Clauses 1.0, are designed to improve human rights in apparel and textiles supply chains. Drafted by RCP for the Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI), the SMCs were developed to address unfair contract terms and purchasing practices that often drive negative human rights outcomes in supply chains. Like the other tools in the RCP Toolkit, the SMCs support a robust HRDD process that can more effectively prevent adverse impacts and remedy the impacts that do occur.
To access the SMCs 1.0, click here.
The European Model Clauses (EMCs) are a set of model clauses designed to align with the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which entered into force in July of 2024. The clauses are the product of the European Working Group (EWG), which is composed primarily of European legal experts from practice and academia. A preliminary version of the EMCs was released for consultation in October 2023. Feedback from this initial phase informed the development of the "Zero Draft", which was workshopped through an inclusive consultation process coordinated by RCP with a generous grant from GIZ. Feedback is currently being integrated, and the first official version of the EMCs (EMCs 1.0) is expected to be published in Fall 2025.
To access the zero draft of the EMCs click here.
Developed in partnership with members of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP), the Tea Sector Model Clauses (TMCs) are designed to help buyers, relevant intermediaries, and producers in the tea sector implement their commitment to responsible business conduct through responsible contracting.
To access the TMCs click here.
The Responsible Investor Model Clauses (RIMCs) are model contract clauses designed to help investors and portfolio companies integrate human rights and environmental performance goals directly into their investment agreements. Consultations are now underway to receive input from stakeholders on the Zero Draft of the clauses, and we plan to launch the RIMCs 1.0 in Fall 2025.
The RIMCs are a useful complement to the Investor Guidance on Responsible Contracting.
To access the RIMCs click here.
Find out more
The Toolkit
Explore the RCP Toolkit which currently includes the EMCs, the SMCs, the MCCs and the Buyer Code
Where you can learn about our past and upcoming events, publications, and podcasts
Codes of Conduct
Traditional codes of conduct only address suppliers and do not account for the role buyers play in upholding the standards, nor hold them accountable when their actions undermine the standards. The Buyer Code by contrast sets out steps for the buyer to take to support positive human rights outcomes. It promotes the shared-responsibility approach of the UNGPs and the OECD Guidance.
To access the Buyer Code, click here.
Implementation Guidance
The Investor Guidance on Responsible Contracting contains an overview of key concepts needed to understand the critical role that due diligence-aligned contracts play in promoting better HREDD, better HRE outcomes, and better legal compliance. It also includes several practical tools, including questions that investors can use in their dialogues with companies, a template shareholder resolution, a template investor engagement letter, and sample responses to frequent pushback (“FPBs”) from companies.
To access the Investor Guidance, click here.
RCP partnered with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) on a chapter on Responsible Contracting for the Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement. Responsible contracts serve as the cornerstone of effective, sustainable procurement practices, ensuring that all parties involved share responsibility for addressing adverse human rights and environmental (HRE) impacts.
The chapter covers:
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Real-world case studies from apparel, beverage, and shipping companies
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Support and guidance, including the RCP Toolkit
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How responsible contracting supports regulatory compliance, including with respect to The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD); The US Tariff Act; The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act; The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
Read the full chapter here.
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Policy Briefs
What the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) Says About Contracts
This Policy Brief analyzes the content of the newly adopted EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) with respect to commercial contracts. On July 5, 2024, the CSDDD was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. It will enter into force on July 25, 2024 and Member States will have to transpose the Directive into national law by July 26, 2026. Now that the text is finalized, we can review its requirements with respect to commercial contracts—one of the key tools that companies are expected to employ in meeting their human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) obligations.
To access the RCP Policy Brief click here.
Forced Labor Trade Bans and HRDD: Why Responsible Contracting Matters
This policy brief examines how responsible contracting can help companies comply with US and EU forced labor trade bans by implementing effective human rights due diligence. It argues that companies should utilize responsible contracts as critical tools to mitigate forced labor risks and avoid enforcement actions.
To access this RCP Policy Brief click here.