Should companies be liable for human rights abuses and environmental damage caused by subsidiaries abroad?

AI-generated summary, admin reviewed: This initiative proposed stronger legal duties for companies concerning human rights and internationally recognized environmental standards in their overseas operations and supply chains. Companies could be held liable for harm caused by foreign subsidiaries or other businesses they controlled unless they showed that they had exercised adequate due diligence. Supporters argued that companies should be accountable when controlled businesses cause human rights abuses or environmental damage abroad. Opponents warned of legal uncertainty, costly litigation, competitive disadvantages and the application of national legal standards to activities in other countries. A narrow majority of Swiss voters supported the initiative, but it was rejected because it did not win a majority of the cantons.

Seed source: Swissvotes federal popular vote dataset.
Swissvotes page: https://swissvotes.ch/vote/636.00
Official result data: https://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/d/pore/va/20201129/can636.html
Vote date: 2020-11-29
Original Swissvotes English title: Initiative «For responsible businesses – protecting human rights and the environment»
Original German title: Konzernverantwortungsinitiative
Swissvotes keyword/additional content: «Unternehmens-Verantwortungs-Initiative»
Swissvotes short-description title: Konzernverantwortung: Volk sagt Ja, Stände lehnen ab
Original French title: Initiative «Entreprises responsables»
Official English explanatory information: https://web.archive.org/web/20201113130425/https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/votes/20201129/iniziativa-popolare-per-imprese-responsabili-a-tutela-dell-essere-umano-e-dell-ambiente.html
Official German explanatory information: https://web.archive.org/web/20201123162518/https://www.admin.ch/gov/de/start/dokumentation/abstimmungen/20201129/volksinitiative-Fur-verantwortungsvolle-unternehmen-zum-schutz-von-mensch-und-umwelt.html
Official French explanatory information: https://web.archive.org/web/20201129050429/https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/documentation/votations/20201129/initiative-entreprises-responsables.html
Année Politique Suisse description: https://anneepolitique.swiss/prozesse/57253
Department information (German): https://web.archive.org/web/20201109090708/https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/de/home/themen/abstimmungen/verantwortungsvolle-unternehmen.html
Department information (French): https://web.archive.org/web/20201111101630/https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/fr/home/themes/abstimmungen/entreprises-responsables.html
Federal office information (German): https://web.archive.org/web/20201101081812/https://www.bj.admin.ch/bj/de/home/wirtschaft/gesetzgebung/verantwortungsvolle-unternehmen.html
Federal office information (French): https://web.archive.org/web/20201101090024/https://www.bj.admin.ch/bj/fr/home/wirtschaft/gesetzgebung/verantwortungsvolle-unternehmen.html
easyvote explainer video (German): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjouNiTBpXw
easyvote explainer video (French): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDNcZyYBKgw
BFS result map (German): https://mapexplorer.bfs.admin.ch/?obs=politic&lang=de#c=indicator&i=vp20201129.prop_oui_636_0
BFS result map (French): https://mapexplorer.bfs.admin.ch/?obs=politic&lang=fr#c=indicator&i=vp20201129.prop_oui_636_0
Official chronology (German): https://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/d/pore/vi/vis462.html
Official chronology (French): https://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/f/pore/vi/vis462.html