Globalization and Investment: Addressing FDI Impacts, CSR Responsibilities, and Supply Chain Labor Rights

The intensification of globalization has profoundly transformed the landscape of international investment. Among its most visible consequences is the proliferation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a vehicle for cross-border capital flow and economic development. However, FDI’s impacts—both constructive and disruptive—have raised complex legal, ethical, and social questions. This paper explores the intricate relationship between globalization, FDI, and the legal frameworks governing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and labor rights in global supply chains. It critically examines how transnational corporations (TNCs) navigate, exploit, or sometimes evade regulatory environments, particularly in developing economies where institutional safeguards are often weaker. The first part of this paper investigates the dual-edged impact of FDI: while contributing to economic growth, technology transfer, and employment, it can also exacerbate inequality, weaken labor protections, and generate regulatory arbitrage. The second section evaluates evolving CSR obligations, transitioning from voluntary ethical standards to enforceable legal norms in international law, focusing on instruments such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The third section addresses labor rights violations in global supply chains, including modern slavery and child labor, and assesses the efficacy of due diligence legislation such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and national acts like Germany’s Lieferkettengesetz. Through comparative legal analysis and case studies, the paper underscores the urgent need for harmonized international standards and robust enforcement mechanisms to ensure that investment flows do not compromise human dignity or legal accountability. It argues for a reconceptualization of investor obligations, integrating human rights and environmental concerns into the legal definition of sustainable investment. Ultimately, the paper contributes to the legal discourse on global economic governance by proposing a hybrid model of transnational legal accountability that balances investor interests with social justice imperatives.