Dr. Xu Kang, research associate at the IBSS Chair, has just published a new article in Supply Chain Management – An International Journal, titled “Corporate human rights governance across borders: insights from a German MNC operating in China”
The paper examines how multinational corporations (MNCs) organize labour governance and manage labour-rights risks in global supply chains when operating in politically constrained host-country labour regimes. Focusing on China, it analyses how a German automotive MNC navigates tensions between politically bounded workplace representation and extra-territorial due diligence expectations linked to European markets. The case study reveals a dual configuration of labour governance.
The study identifies a dual approach: on the one hand, minimalist adaptation to host-country labour regimes in day-to-day employment relations; on the other, the implementation of more progressive compliance mechanisms such as audits, risk assessments, and grievance systems aligned with international standards. These approaches are coordinated through cross-border organisational mechanisms, including transnational engagement involving the German works council, which functions as an internal accountability channel that can trigger investigation and escalation when credible risk signals arise.
The publication connects directly to the IBSS Chair’s research focus on sustainability, global production networks, and governance across borders.
Read here the full publication
