Written by Burkard Göpfert, Maximilian Melles; Kliemt.HR Lawyers
The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises set standards for responsible business conduct, including in relation to supply chain ethics and worker representation. In recent years, they have been deployed as a powerful ‘soft law’ tool in a range of contexts both in Germany and internationally.
International law can be a powerful tool to drive change in our communication-driven world, particularly in topical areas such as supply chain matters, discussions about the ‘S’ for social in ‘ESG’ or the protection of trade union activity.
The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are an effective way for political and trade union networks to address these types of topical issues. First introduced in 1976, the Guidelines provide government-backed recommendations on responsible business conduct. They are regularly reviewed to ensure they reflect the concerns of an evolving global economy and the most recently version dates from 2011.
Numerous recent cases have confirmed their impact, especially in the area of employment law. This article describes and evaluates the Guidelines and their potential application from a German perspective and beyond.
The OECD Guidelines
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