Civil society organizations (CSOs), including non-governmental organizations, not-for-profits, and trade unions, have proven to be central actors in efforts to hold corporate actors accountable for human rights, environmental, and climate-related harms. 1 In the context of transnational business and human rights (BHR) litigation concerning harms suffered by workers and communities, CSOs may act as direct complainants, co-complainants, third-party interveners, or behind-the-scenes facilitators. 2 Yet their significance extends beyond these formal procedural roles. This contribution argues that CSOs function as key drivers of transnational BHR litigation by mitigating structural barriers to claims, sustaining litigation as part of broader accountability strategies, and translating individual disputes into vehicles for corporate behavioral change and legal reform. It examines the forms this involvement takes, as well as the risks and challenges it entails, with a focus on Europe. The essay does not offer a normative defense of CSOs, nor a comprehensive survey of their activities. Instead, it examines how CSO involvement reshapes the structure, objectives, and consequences of transnational BHR litigation.
Patz et al. (Thu,) studied this question.