Development International e.V.
Non-profit research association, Berlin

Where law, business and development meet

Development International is a not-for-profit research organisation. We measure whether states’ rules achieve their aims, whether companies’ due diligence is effective, and whether people who are harmed obtain remedy, from the mine and the farm to global disclosure regimes.

Latest

Outputs from the last two years. Hover to pause.

2026 · BenchmarkGermany’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Act: a logic model analysis of corporate disclosure313 reports from 254 companies, with UN Global Compact Network Germany.2026 · ToolEU Forced Labour Regulation readiness toolFree self-assessment for companies preparing for enforcement from December 2027.2026 · ToolBioTrade Africa crop intelligence atlas21 high-value African crops read through market, jobs, carbon and biodiversity lenses.2026 · Evaluation under wayplanetGOLD: reducing mercury in artisanal gold miningTerminal evaluation for UNEP, with fieldwork in the Philippines.2023–25 · Impact evaluationA decade of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance in tin, tantalum and tungstenAn estimated 61% fewer violent incidents at mine sites enrolled in iTSCi.2025 · EvaluationEvaluation of the ABS Initiative on BioTrade market pathwaysOECD-DAC evaluation for GIZ across Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa and Kenya.2025 · ToolUS imports associated with child labourInteractive dashboard of child labour risk in US imports, 2019–2023.2024–25 · EvaluationIncentive framework for artisanal gold miners and traders, DabakalaTen CRAFT and OECD practices assessed with gold cooperatives and buyers, for Solidaridad.2023–25 · StudyEstimating the number of workers in small producer organisationsEconometric estimation of hired labour in Fairtrade cocoa cooperatives, Côte d’Ivoire.

Impact

The UN Guiding Principles rest on three pillars: the state duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to respect them, and access to remedy for those who are harmed. Our research tests each pillar against evidence.

The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains shows this in one case. We benchmarked companies’ conflict minerals disclosures, designed the framework for monitoring the Guidance, and evaluated what it achieved at mine sites. Those findings are available to inform the Guidance’s next review.

Benchmarks Research Methods
One Guidance, three lenses DI measured the OECD minerals Guidance three ways: after its adoption in 2011, DI benchmarked Dodd-Frank conflict minerals filings in 2014 to 2016, designed the OECD monitoring and evaluation framework in 2021, and evaluated the Guidance’s impact in 2023 to 2025, finding an estimated 61 percent fewer violent incidents at mine sites. The findings can inform the Guidance’s review. 2011Guidance adoptedby the OECD, open to review 2014–16BenchmarksDodd-Frank §1502filing evaluations 2021FrameworkOECD monitoring andevaluation framework 2023–25EvaluationImpact of the Guidance:an estimated 61% fewerincidents at mine sites One Guidance, three lenses
  1. 2011 OECD Guidance adopted, open to review
  2. 2014–16 Benchmarks: Dodd-Frank §1502 filing evaluations
  3. 2021 Framework: OECD monitoring and evaluation framework
  4. 2023–25 Evaluation: an estimated 61% fewer violent incidents at mine sites

Where our research sits

Each ring marks one project. Select a cell to see the work behind it, or open a commodity system for its full body of research.

Minerals and metals3TG, cobalt, gold
Agricultural commoditiesCocoa, bananas, BioTrade
Cross-sector disclosureMarket-wide benchmarks
EnvironmentEcosystems, climate credibility
SocialHuman rights, forced and child labour
GovernanceResponsible sourcing, accountability, remedy

Conflict minerals and responsible sourcing

Governance, minerals and metals
BenchmarkDodd-Frank §1502 filing evaluations, reporting years 2014–2016
FrameworkOECD monitoring and evaluation framework for the minerals Guidance (2021)
EvaluationImpact evaluation of a decade of OECD Guidance implementation (2023–25)
StudyConflict minerals due diligence in the telecommunications industry

A registered public-benefit association under German law, overseen by an elected board. How we are governed

Partners

Our research is used by international organisations, standard-setters, companies and universities.

OECDUNICEFThe Greens/EFA group in the European ParliamentWest African Health OrganisationFairtrade InternationalRainforest AllianceSolidaridadScience Based Targets initiativeGlobal Labor Justice–International Labor Rights ForumJUST CapitalFarmStrong FoundationCEGEMIHIV Prevention Trials NetworkBarry CallebautCCLAiPoint systemsAssentUlulaResponsible TradeENSEA AbidjanUniversité Catholique de BukavuESPC KinshasaISSER, University of GhanaUniversity College LondonExponential Science (formerly DLT Science Foundation)Seoul National University

Our clients and partners