Guidelines & Regulation

In recent years, a number of international and intergovernmental guidelines have been developed that aim to influence the conduct of multinational enterprises in the field of human rights, labour rights, the environment and other CSR aspects. These include:

the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
the UN Global Compact
and the UN human rights norms for Multinational Enterprises.

These guidelines are in principle voluntary. However, despite their non-binding character, there are several mechanisms already in place to handle violations of international rules of behaviour such as the OECD Guidelines.

SOMO has been active in the field of the OECD Guidelines before and after their revision in the year 2000. At the moment, SOMO is maintaining a database of all OECD cases which have been filed by NGOs worldwide.

Besides that, SOMO is one of the initiators and executors of the OECD Watch project. OECD Watch is an international network of NGOs which work together on the topic of the OECD Guidelines.

News Guidelines & Regulation

Make or break for the OECD Guidelines? OECD Watch critiques of Guidelines’ effectiveness

30-06-2010

In the first decade of this century, governments of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been unable to protect workers, communities and the environment from harm caused by multinational corporations. This is the conclusion of OECD Watch’s latest report that was launched today at a press conference in Paris.

MVO Platform speaks during hearing in the Lower House

15-01-2010

The MVO Platform argues for supplementary legislation in the area of the liability of Dutch parent companies for breaches of internationally recognised standards by subsidiary companies.

Final touches to new international CSR guideline

16-06-2009

Following five years of development and negotiation, the International Standardization Organisation (ISO) is putting the final touches to a new international guideline on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).