Rojda Arslan: I have gained a lot of different experiences in different areas, for which I am very grateful, because in order to drive human rights compliant changes in an institution or organization, it is important to understand how an institution works and what its concept is. I have worked in the international sector, including at the United Nations, an EU agency, and in various non-governmental organizations, but also in local government agencies such as a foreigners authority here in Germany.

I am a great believer in interdisciplinary work and, as a lawyer, I did not want to limit myself to one area. In addition to my substantive knowledge of international law and European law, I have also worked as a project manager in various projects and also as a trainer for different target groups. I have worked with vulnerable groups of people, but also with organizations. Therefore, I believe that my diverse professional background allows me to bring different perspectives to my work at mybreev.

Rojda Arslan: E-learning not only represents a reduced financial and time burden for employers, but it is also usually more effective in improving employee retention and increasing the overall competency of the workforce. E-learning provides a more consistent educational experience in important topics that constantly need refreshing. What I like most about e-learning is the flexibility it offers, as learning paths can be tailored to the training and development needs of the individual or employee. There is no longer a need for "one-size-fits-all" training programs. Instead, customized e-learning can be provided as needed to improve employee competency based on their roles and responsibilities. And last but not least, e-learnings are definitely more environmentally friendly. 

On the other hand, of course, everything has its limitations, including digital learning formats. For example, e-learning doesn't have the social aspect and impact that in-presence trainings have, such as working in groups and interacting with other participants and trainers*. Also, not everyone is lucky enough to have full access to the Internet. Nonetheless, the pandemic has shown us that digitization has become indispensable in times of crisis. We all know that digitization will define our future. Technology has made learning from anywhere possible.

Auf der anderen Seite hat natürlich alles seine Grenzen, so auch die digitale Lernformate. Zum Beispiel hat E-Learning nicht den sozialen Aspekt und die Wirkung, die In-Präsenz Schulungen haben, wie z. B. die Arbeit in Gruppen und die Interaktion mit anderen Teilnehmenden und Trainer*innen. Außerdem hat nicht jeder das Glück, vollen Zugang zum Internet zu haben. Nichtdestotrotz hat die Pandemie uns gezeigt, dass die Digitalisierung in Krisenzeiten unverzichtbar geworden ist. Wir wissen alle, dass die Digitalisierung unsere Zukunft bestimmen wird. Die Technologie hat das Lernen von überall her möglich gemacht.

Rojda Arslan: With the Supply Chain Act coming into force on January 1, 2023, human rights compliant activities by companies have now become essential. Therefore, my work at mybreev will focus on developing content on business and human rights for e-learning production. My focus will be to create several building blocks or e-learning modules on the new supply chain law in Germany.

Rojda Arslan: Training and education count as prevention measures under the Supply Chain Act. Education and empowerment increase the level of autonomy and self-determination of people or workers in an organization. The transfer of knowledge is only possible through educational measures. Since many companies have their direct business partners outside of Europe, e-learning is the best way to impart basic knowledge about supply chain law to employees and employees of business partners.

Rojda Arslan: France is at the forefront of supply chain sustainability in Europe. The Netherlands has also passed a law on the supply chain. Compared to other European countries, Germany is nevertheless at the forefront, especially with the newly enacted Supply Chain Act, when it comes to ensuring that corporate activities comply with human rights and are sustainable. It has to, considering the large number of German companies operating outside Europe.

Germany is one of the countries with a very competitive and export-oriented economy. This also means that many German companies operate across borders outside Europe and bear the risk of human rights violations for those potentially affected by the companies' activities. German companies are at the forefront of cases such as water pollution, land displacement, flooding of villages and exploitation of workers as direct or indirect potential human rights violators.

This is precisely why it is important to look beyond Germany's borders.

If we consider the following facts, everyone should understand why the newly enacted Supply Chain Act was so necessary.

•  25 million people are still doing forced labor today. In other words, this is modern slavery (Global Estimates of Modern Slavery).
•  79 million girls and boys are affected by exploitative child labor (BMZ).
•  The wage rate of a seamstress of a branded t-shirt is 0.6%, which is about 0.18 cents for a 30 € t-shirt (FairWear).

To remain relevant and competitive in global trade, German companies need to ensure robust logistics and supply chain management, which also means ensuring fair treatment of direct and indirect partners and all people potentially affected by companies' activities.

Rojda Arslan: I strongly believe that education is the key to positive change in the environment we live in today. Education and empowerment are unfortunately still underestimated. Knowledge is the first step in raising awareness about important issues such as human rights and sustainability. The more people are empowered, the better for a more sustainable and human rights compliant world.

Therefore, I encourage every person, organization, government and company to invest in education and empowerment to bring about the change we all want to see.