On 23 February 2022 the European Commission published the draft Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence. In presenting the proposal, Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice said: “This proposal is a real game-changer in the way companies operate their business activities throughout their global supply chain”. However, if the event is placed within the wider context around corporate accountability for human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD), the celebratory tone of the message becomes more articulated