Corporate Responsibility

Background

U.S. companies face changing expectations regarding their policies and practices in a wide range of complex issues: labor and environmental standards, corporate governance, supply chains, ethics and human rights. Company practices in these areas are the focus of a growing number of external organizations, including governments, interest groups, investors, customers and communities. This has led to the creation of a growing number of external codes of conduct and international instruments that address many different aspects of business behavior and operations. In an era of uneven enforcement of national laws in many sourcing countries, many groups are looking to the private sector, and global companies in particular, to fill the gap.

Objective

Chair

Clifford E. Henry

Associate Director, Corporate Sustainable Development

The Procter & Gamble Company

Vice Chair

Tam Robert Nguyen

Manager, Corporate Responsibility

Chevron Corporation

Staff Contacts

Adam Greene

Vice President, Labor Affairs and Corporate Responsibility

(212) 703-5056 or agreene@uscib.org

Alexandra Garcia

Program Assistant

(212) 703-5095 or agarcia@uscib.org

Promote the business perspective on corporate responsibility; shape the development and implementation of codes, standards and principles on corporate responsibility; and increase awareness of the positive social and environmental contributions made by business.

Upcoming Events

April 10 - USCIB Corporate Responsibility Committee Meeting, Washington, D.C.

May 9 - Engaging Business Forum, Atlanta (For more information visit www.engagingbusiness.org )

Current Priorities

· Business & Human Rights: Work with the UN Special Representative to the Secretary-General in the development of the UN framework and principles on business and human rights; participate in direct consultations with the Special Representative over the course of his mandate; and ensure that business views are represented in the final report of the Special Representative and in any further actions taken by the UN Human Rights Council.

· OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises: Represent U.S. business in the revision of the OECD Guidelines, which is likely to include a new chapter on business and human rights, increased focus on supply chains, and significant changes to the Guideline’s complaint mechanism. Engage with the U.S. Government on any changes to the structure of the U.S. National Contact Point.

· International Initiatives and Instruments: Engage with international initiatives to ensure that they are value-added for companies; participate in the activities of inter-governmental corporate responsibility initiatives, including those related to the proposed OECD Charter on Business Ethics, the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, the UN Secretary-General’s Global Compact and the IFC Performance Standards.

· ISO 26000: Represent US business in the International Standards Organization (ISO) Working Group on Social Responsibility in the development of the ISO 26000 guidance standard on social responsibility. Ensure that the SR Working Group conforms to its original scope by developing a guidance document that is relevant for all organizations, does not include any requirements and is not for certification.

· Regional Initiatives: Convey US business views to the European Commission regarding the European Alliance for CSR; monitor corporate responsibility initiatives in China as they relate to foreign investors; and engage with the Inter-American forum on CSR.

· CSR Reporting: Represent business views on the continuing evolution of corporate responsibility communication and reporting; provide business input to the development of any national requirements or frameworks related to corporate responsibility reporting.

· Business Case: Contribute to the development of a business case for corporate responsibility and principles for codes Host benchmarking meetings for USCIB members to share information on how they have implemented corporate responsibility in their companies; raise awareness of how U.S. companies are raising social and environmental conditions in their operations abroad.

· Socially Responsible Investment: Provide business input to the further development of listing criteria for socially responsible investment indices; assess the impact of SRI indicators on company practices and promote business dialogue with rating agencies.

Recent Accomplishments

· Organized an international symposium on business and human rights as input to the Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General on business and human rights; represented U.S. business in consultations with the Special Representative; and promoted the business view that private sector development and human rights are mutually supporting.

· Represented U.S. business in the OECD negotiations leading up to the revision of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and potential changes to the Guidelines’ complaint mechanism.

· Represented business in the continuing development of ISO 26000, promoting an approach based on voluntary action, flexibility, and continued evolution of company practices.

· Conveyed business views on the need for greater transparency and accountability in international initiatives and instruments on corporate responsibility, including the UN Secretary-General’s Global Compact, the ILO Tripartite Declaration and the IFC Performance Standards.

· Provided business views to the U.S. agencies engaged in corporate responsibility issues regarding domestic activities and U.S. positions in inter-governmental negotiations. Organized a high-level conference with the Departments of State and Labor on working conditions in global on supply chains.