Environmental nonprofit ClientEarth, with support from other
activist groups, has commenced litigation
in a Paris court against a global food-products company. The
claimants contend that Danone has breached France's Corporate
Duty of Vigilance Law in that the company does not have an adequate
plan to reduce its plastic footprint. Prior to filing the claim in
Paris, ClientEarth served "legal warnings" on Danone and
certain other French companies, including Auchan, Carrefour,
Casino, Lactalis, McDonald's France, Les Mousquetaires, Picard
and Nestlé France.
The French Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law (Loi de
Vigilance) came into force in 2017 and requires that companies
with over 5,000 employees in France, or 10,000 employees globally,
prepare, publish and enact a 'vigilance plan' corresponding
with the UN's human rights due diligence procedures on an
annual basis. This plan must include social and environmental due
diligence measures across the company's entire supply