Project overview - Michel Ortland

Project info

My current research focuses on the multitude and dynamics of governance instruments used to manage the impacts of global supply chains. The complexity and variety of these governance mechanisms often make it challenging to discern their actual effects. To address this issue, my doctoral project aims to analyse governance designs and the interactions between state and corporate-level governance. A particular emphasis is placed on how the new Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) laws influence supply chain governance. The goal of my dissertation is to enhance the effectiveness of supply chain governance in the future, enabling a more robust response to pressing challenges such as environmental protection, climate change, and human rights violations. I will specifically focus on agricultural supply chains and their key players, as they often face significant scrutiny and challenges.

Key Objectives

Project I: Effects of global supply chain due diligence regulations – A case survey analysis

- Analysis of the intended and unintended effects of supply chain laws

Project II: A discourse network analysis: The German Supply Chain Act under discussion

- How do discourses influence the implementation process of supply chain laws?

Project III:  A comparative analysis of the interplay between HREDD laws and corporate governance at agribusiness level

- How do stakeholders at the agribusiness level deal with the uncertainty of supply chain regulations?

Project IV: Analysing the impacts of HREDD laws: Insights from an agricultural supply chain (maybe pineapple)

- How will the HREDD laws work and unfold in the context of local producers in the Global South?