Governments’, employers’ and workers’ representatives from the 40 countries adhering to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, as well as from major emerging economies and other ILO member States will discuss ways of enhancing the contribution that responsible business practices can make to achieve the goal of decent work. The Conference will be opened by OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría and ILO Director General, Juan Somavia.
The event will contribute to a wider dissemination of good corporate practices in the area of employment and industrial relations; a better understanding and use of OECD and ILO’s instruments; and mutual understanding and trust between stakeholders in developed and emerging markets on approaches to responsible investment.
This Conference responds to the G8 Leaders’ invitation, issued at their June 2007 Summit in Heiligendamm, asking the OECD and the ILO to foster a high-level dialogue on internationally-agreed CSR and labour standards to address the social dimension of globalization.
The ILO and the OECD led the way more than 30 years ago in establishing a core of internationally-agreed principles by adopting the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. They have acquired an unrivalled knowledge of how strong and constructive relationships between home and host governments, business organizations and trade unions can be built on these principles.