OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are recommendations addressed by governments to multinational enterprises operating in or from adhering countries. They provide non-binding principles and standards for responsible business conduct in a global context consistent with applicable laws and internationally recognised standards. The Guidelines are the only multilaterally agreed and comprehensive code of responsible business conduct that governments have committed to promoting.
Versions
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Learn more about the 2011 update of the Guidelines
Learn about the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for RBC, a practical tool for enterprises on the implementation of the Guidelines
Stocktaking study on the OECD Guidelines
In November 2020, the OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct agreed to undertake a stocktaking study on the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
The stocktaking will aim to assess how the OECD Guidelines have been used to address evolving issues related to responsible business conduct since 2011, and their suitability for the future. It will build on work carried out by Adherents and their National Contact Points and identify key achievements, gaps and new issues, including by analysing issues raised in the handling of specific instances as well as major policy developments in the field. The overall objective of the stocktaking study is to provide a clearer picture as to whether the Guidelines remain fit-for-purpose, and support the OECD in its efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the OECD Guidelines on the ground and the continued relevance of its work on responsible business conduct in accordance with the OECD’s mission of better policies for better lives.
Stakeholder consultations will be important for this endeavour. As per normal practice, the OECD will consult with business, workers, civil society and other experts throughout the process and solicit their views. It will also consider experiences with other relevant international standards with a view to strengthening global coherence and cooperation.
More information on the stocktaking, including on the timeline, will be made available in due course.
OECD Due Diligence Guidance
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This guidance provides practical support to enterprises on the implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
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Responsible Business Conduct thematic areas
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The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises reflect the expectation from governments to businesses on how to act responsibly. They bring together all thematic areas of business responsibility, including human rights and labour rights, as well as information disclosure, environment, bribery, consumer interests, science and technology, competition, and taxation. This comprehensiveness is a unique feature of the Guidelines and makes it the only government-backed instrument covering all major sustainability risks.
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