TMU CSR Institute zoom session: Unpacking the revised OECD MNE RBC Guidelines

Date: July 26, 2023
Time: 12:00 PM EDT - 1:30 PM EDT

To view a video recording of this session, click HERE.

The Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility at Toronto Metropolitan University*(TMU) is pleased to present an online interactive zoom session, Unpacking the revised OECD MNE RBC Guidelines: A Zoom Chat with OECD Guidelines Subject-Matter Experts, on Wednesday, July 26, from 12 noon to 1:30 pm, Toronto time, (details below).

To register (no cost, everyone welcome) click HERE (external link) then press the "register" button.

To access the zoom on Wednesday, July 26 at 12 noon (Toronto time), click HERE (external link) to patch in for the live session. This session is exclusively an online zoom event: there is no in-person component.

Information will be provided during the session re: how to submit questions.

About the OECD & OECD RBC Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (external link) (OECD) is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 Member countries (including Canada), founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. The OECD is a forum whose member countries describe themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices, and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members. The majority of OECD Members are high-income economies ranked as "very high" in the Human Development Index, and are regarded as developed countries.

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct are recommendations addressed by governments to multinational enterprises. They aim to encourage positive contributions enterprises can make to economic, environmental and social progress, and to minimise adverse impacts on matters covered by the Guidelines that may be associated with an enterprise’s operations, products and services. The Guidelines provide non-binding principles and standards for responsible business conduct in a global context that are consistent with applicable laws and internationally recognised standards. The Guidelines cover all key areas of business responsibility, including human rights, labour rights, environment, bribery, consumer interests, disclosure, science and technology, competition, and taxation. Originally adopted in 1976, the Guidelines have since been revised a number of times. The 2023 edition of the Guidelines (published in June) provides updated recommendations for responsible business conduct across key areas, such as climate change, biodiversity, technology, business integrity and supply chain due diligence, as well as updated implementation procedures for the National Contact Points for Responsible Business Conduct.

The most concrete manifestation of government commitment to the principles set forth in the Guidelines are the National Contact Points (NCPs), which are offices charged with promoting observance of the Guidelines by multinational enterprises. Each of the 51 adhering countries are required to set up an NCP. Among other tasks, NCPs are charged with contributing to the resolution of issues that may arise concerning alleged non-observance of the Guidelines. Under this procedure, alleged non-observance of one or more of the Guidelines' recommendations is brought to the attention of an NCP, which may in turn assist the parties to find a resolution for the issues raised by providing access to consensual and non-adversarial procedures. Since the current NCP system was established in 2000, 650 specific instances have been handled in over 100 countries and territories covering such areas as employment and industrial relations (about half of the specific instances), environment, human rights and disclosure of information.

The purpose of this TMU CSR Institute zoom session is to provide an overview of the OECD Guidelines and their role in promoting responsible business conduct due diligence , focusing on the 2023 revisions, and on the role of the National Contact Point in implementation of the OECD guidelines (drawing on the Canadian NCP as an example).

About Benjamin Michel (OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct)

Benjamin Michel is a Policy Analyst at the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct (external link) (RBC), where he works with policymakers and financial institutions in promoting the implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. His work focuses on promoting due diligence practices in different types of financial transactions, from corporate lending to project and asset finance and different financial service providers – institutional investors to multilateral development banks. His work also includes translating Responsible Business Conduct expectations as a way to promote credible business action on climate.

Previously, Benjamin has been working in sustainable finance as a human rights expert, advising financial institutions - ranging from development banks, commercial banks or private equity funds - in assessing and addressing ESG impacts and opportunities in investment decisions. Benjamin studied human rights and international law at Sciences Po Law School.

About Katharine Booth (OECD Watch)

Katharine Booth is a researcher and policy advisor at OECD Watch (external link) , a global network of civil society organisations focused on achieving effective remedy for corporate harms by using the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct and the Guidelines’ non-judicial grievance mechanism, National Contact Points. Katharine leads OECD Watch’s activities on NCP complaints, and also researches issues related to responsible business conduct and the OECD system. She also supports SOMO’s Advocacy & Networks team through research and advocacy on grievance mechanisms. Katharine previously worked as a freelancer in the business and human rights area, including as a researcher for SOMO and interim coordinator of OECD Watch. She also practised in Australia as a solicitor and worked as a researcher/tipstaff for a Supreme Court Justice. Katharine received her Master of Laws (Advanced Studies in European and International Human Rights Law) from Leiden University, Netherlands. Katharine graduated with a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts (History) from University of New South Wales, Australia.

About Ryerson Neal (Canadian National Contact Point)

Ryerson Neal has worked with the secretariat of Canada’s National Contact Point (external link) (NCP) at Global Affairs Canada since August 2022. As an adherent to the OECD Guidelines, Canada maintains a NCP to 1) promote awareness and uptake of the Guidelines and 2) to contribute to the resolution of issues concerning implementation of the Guidelines by multinational enterprises operating in or from Canada, namely through facilitated dialogue/mediation. Canada’s NCP is a committee of eight federal government departments. The NCP’s secretariat is provided by Global Affairs Canada

Moderator

Moderating the session will be Dr. Kernaghan Webb, Director of the Toronto Metropolitan University CSR Institute and a Law and Business professor in TMU's Ted Rogers School of Management.

The talk is co-sponsored by the TMU Corporate Social Responsibility Student Association, and the TMU Law and Business Student Association.

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