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Duty of Vigilance Law

Loi n° 2017-399 — Code de commerce Art. L.225-102-4 & L.225-102-5

In forceApplies 2017-03-27Verified 2026-08-22

Scope

Companies with ≥5,000 employees in France or ≥10,000 worldwide (incl. subsidiaries)

Penalties

Civil liability for harm a compliant plan would have prevented; judicial injunctions; first damages rulings emerging

Last verified

2026-08-22

In plain language

What this law does

Requires in-scope companies to establish, publish and implement an effective vigilance plan covering severe Dictionary termHuman RightsThe universal and inherent rights and freedoms held by every person because they are human, without discrimination.Read the full definition , health/safety and environmental harms across own operations, subsidiaries and established subcontractor/supplier relationships.

Formal requirements

What the law requires

Reviewed provisions grouped by practical purpose. Use the official text for the full legal context.

Who and what it covers

  1. ≥5,000 employees in France (head office + French subsidiaries) or ≥10,000 worldwide, for two consecutive years

    Duty of Vigilance Law — Loi n° 2017-399 (Code de commerce Art. L.225-102-4 & L.225-102-5)

Governance

  1. Mandatory plan content includes cartographie des risques (risk mapping).

    Duty of Vigilance Law — Loi n° 2017-399 (Code de commerce Art. L.225-102-4 & L.225-102-5)

  2. Plan must be elaborated with Dictionary termStakeholderemployees, their representatives, individuals/communities whose rights/interests are or could be affected, CSOs, national human rights institutions…Read the full definition Dictionary termConsultationA structured process in which an organisation seeks stakeholder views early enough to inform a decision and then considers and responds to that input.Read the full definition where appropriate

    Duty of Vigilance Law — Loi n° 2017-399 (Code de commerce Art. L.225-102-4 & L.225-102-5)

  3. published in the management report

    Duty of Vigilance Law — Loi n° 2017-399 (Code de commerce Art. L.225-102-4 & L.225-102-5)

Enforcement

  1. Judicial injunction (+ astreinte, periodic penalty payment) to compel a compliant plan

    Duty of Vigilance Law — Loi n° 2017-399 (Code de commerce Art. L.225-102-4 & L.225-102-5)

  2. TotalEnergies judgment (Paris Judicial Court, 25 Jun 2026) — vigilance plans must cover Scope 3 Dictionary termDownstreamDownstream refers to activities, customers, users or impacts that occur after an organisation sells, distributes or transfers goods, services or products.Read the full definition emissions; 6-month revision order; next hearing Jan 2027.

    Duty of Vigilance Law · instrument-level citation