Investment and Responsible Business Conduct

investment-responsible-business-conduct
Winand-Quaedvlieg

Chair

Winand L.E. Quaedvlieg

VNO–NCW (Netherlands)
BW 2 (4)

Co-Lead

Benedikt Wiedenhofer

Policy Manager

Hiroki-Waki

Co-Lead

Hiroki Waki

Policy Expert

Vice-Chair

Paul Noll

BDA (Germany)

Vice-Chair

Soichiro Sakuma

Nippon Steel Corporation (Japan)

Vice-Chair

Laura Rubbo

Disney (US)

Vice-Chair

Clifford Sosnow

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (Canada)

Vice-Chair

Marta Camacho

Repsol (Spain)

  • 01.

    Overview

    In line with the overarching OECD Declaration on Investment and Responsible Business Conduct, which comprises the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises for Responsible Business Conduct, our Investment and RBC Committee considers an open investment climate to go hand in hand with responsible business conduct.
     
    On Responsible Business Conduct, the Committee works closely with the OECD to ensure a balanced and effective implementation in the spirit of its Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, constituting the centerpiece of the OECD's work on corporate responsibility and the most comprehensive standard on responsible business conduct, covering all key areas of business ethics. The Committee thereby underlines the need for a well-functioning NCP system that is well known and that enjoys the confidence of all stakeholders. The Committee also actively contributes to work on due diligence with a view to ensuring that practical considerations, especially with regard to the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises, are duly taken into account.
     
    In the field of investment, the Committee encourages sound and stable investment conditions for business and supports the OECD’s leading role in promoting open markets for investment. The OECD and its Freedom of Investment Roundtable have a key role to play in helping policy makers to put in place a supportive business environment and refrain from introducing protectionist measures. The unique role of the OECD in the area of investment is underpinned by several unique legal instruments, including the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises and the OECD Policy Framework for Investment (PFI). In addition, the OECD has recently embarked on several new work streams that aim to foster sustainability aspects of investment, including in the context of the organization's work on investment treaties and the OECD FDI Qualities project.
  • 03.

    Business engagement at OECD

    On Responsible Business Conduct:
    With its Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (OECD MNE Guidelines), the OECD hosts the only multilaterally agreed instrument promoting responsible business conduct that adhering governments have committed to promoting globally. The Guidelines, cover all major areas of business ethics and are supported by a unique implementation mechanism of National Contact Points. They are further supported with practical guidance on the due diligence expectations established in the Guidelines. Moreover, to promote responsible business practices on a global level, the OECD is actively reaching out to governments, businesses, and civil society through its annual Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct as well as dedicated regional programs.
     
    The Committee contributes to the work of the following OECD bodies:
    • OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct
    • OECD Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct
    • OECD Due Diligence Advisory Groups
    • OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector
    • OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains
     
    On Investment:
    Through its various instruments, including the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises, the OECD Policy Framework for Investment and the OECD Guidelines on National Security policies, the OECD supports open markets and works to enhance the contribution of international investment to growth and sustainable development. Business at OECD helps shape OECD
    discussions on investment through regular interaction with the OECD Investment Committee, participation in major events, and regular comments on key initiatives.
     
    The Committee contributes to the work of the following OECD bodies:
    • OECD Investment Committee
    • OECD International Investment Treaty Conference
    • OECD Roundtable on Investment and Sustainable Development
    • OECD FDI Qualities Network
  • 02.

    2023 priorities

    On Responsible Business Conduct
    • Contributing to discussions on follow-up to the stocktaking of the OECD MNE Guidelines undertaken in 2021
    • Contributing to the development of a new OECD Recommendation to foster policy coherence
    • Fostering effective and balanced implementation of the MNE Guidelines across adhering countries
    • Promoting additional outreach and adherence to the OECD MNE Guidelines for a global level playing field
    • Ensuring a well-functioning NCP system as well as balanced implementation of the OECD due diligence guidance documents
    • Providing inputs to new due diligence work streams related to environmental considerations
     
    On Investment
    • Calling for reinforced attention on the challenges companies are facing with respect to the international investment climate and highlight the importance of appropriate investor safeguards, market openness and a level-playing field
    • Underlining the need to closely monitor the growing number of increasingly complex investment screening mechanisms
    • Stressing the importance of investment promotion and facilitation, for leveraging private investments as a basis for future growth and competitiveness
    • Contributing to discussions on the future of investment treaties and the OECD FDI Qualities project
     

Documents & Releases

28 February 2023

FIN 2023 - 02 BIAC Comments - OECD MNE Guidelines Public Consultation

14 February 2023

Business at OECD (BIAC) Contribution to the OECD Ministerial Meeting on Responsible Business Conduct

5 January 2022

Contribution to the public online consultation on the Draft Recommendation on the Role of Government in Promoting Responsible Business Conduct

7 February 2022

Business at OECD comments on the proposed Draft Recommendation on FDI Qualities for Sustainable Development - February 2022

8 March 2022

Speaking points for the March consultation with the OECD Working Party on RBC

20 April 2022

Considerations for the consultation with the OECD Investment Committee - April 2022

26 April 2022

Business considerations for the April consultation with the OECD Working Party on RBC

20 June 2022

Business considerations for the June OECD RBC meetings - June 2022

13 June 2022

Business considerations on the follow-up to the stocktaking exercise of the OECD MNE Guidelines - June 2022

1 September 2021

Comments for the public consultation on stocktaking of the OECD MNE Guidelines

20 September 2021

Input for the Roadmap for the next decade - Building blocks for realizing UNGPs implementation toward 2030 - September 2021

5 October 2021

IOE, Business at OECD (BIAC) and BusinessEurope position on the Third Revised Draft - October 2021

1 December 2021

Comments on the 2nd draft stocktaking report

1 December 2021

Comments on the proposed FDI Qualities toolkit

1 December 2021

International Investment and Responsible Business Conduct, Anti-Corruption, Corporate Governance Activity Update 2021

6 January 2020

A Proactive Investment Agenda for 2020

21 January 2020

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises - January 2020

3 March 2020

Joint Statement on pressure against submitters by Business at OECD, TUAC, and OECD Watch - March 2020

17 July 2020

Joint Statement Supporting the Capacity of the NCP in the Current COVID-19 Crisis by Business at OECD, TUAC, and OECDWatch - July 2020

1 September 2020

Leveraging investment for more resilient health care systems

1 December 2020

Comments on the Secretariat paper on the 20th anniversary of the NCP system

13 October 2015

Joint Statement by BIAC, TUAC, and OECD Watch - October 2015

9 August 2022

FIN 2022-07 Investment and RBC Update