What happens when a retailer invests in HRDD learning for its brands? In a five-month pilot, Dutch retailer De Bijenkorf funded and ran a structured HRDD learning programme for a selected group of its brand partners, in collaboration with Fair Wear. Combining self-study, peer sessions, and one-to-one coaching, the programme helped brands work through the 6 steps of HRDD, identify gaps, and take concrete action.

For many companies, the challenge around human rights due diligence (HRDD) is no longer defining policies, but embedding them into everyday business decisions across teams and supply chains. As expectations increase through legislation and stakeholder pressure, organisations are looking for ways to translate complex frameworks into consistent, practical action.

At Fair Wear, the Learning Team focuses on this gap: turning HRDD from a conceptual framework into something companies can understand, apply, and continuously improve in practice.

The EU Forced Labour Regulation (FLR) will soon prohibit products made with forced labour from being placed on or exported from the EU market. With enforcement starting on 14 December 2027, companies need to start preparing now.

For many brands, Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) is no longer a question of if, but how. Policies are in place, expectations are clearer, and legislation is becoming more concrete. Yet one challenge comes up repeatedly: how do you move from understanding HRDD in theory to applying it consistently in everyday business decisions?

In this interview, Rosan van Wolveren, Learning Coordinator at Fair Wear, explains why the HRDD Academy was created, how it supports brands at different stages of their journey, and how it helps make HRDD practical, scalable, and credible.