La OCDE (Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos) integrada por los 34 principales países cuyas economías son más desarrolladas (incluidos México y Chile), ha publicado ayer 25 de mayo ―con la participación de otros países no miembros, entre los cuales: Argentina y Brasil, y la colaboración estrecha de empresas, sindicados y ONGs― la «OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises: recommedations for responsable business conduct in a global context», cuyo texto íntegro se encuentra disponible en inglés y fránces.
En el citado documento se han establecido nuevos principios rectores y reglas más estrictas destinados a promover un comportamiento más responsable de las empresas multinacionales en el ejercicio de sus actividades económicas a lo largo de toda su cadena productiva.
La estructura central de los principios establecidos buscan que las empresas: i) respeten los derechos humanos en todos aquellos países en los cuales actúan; ii) respeten las normas medioambientales y laborales (que incluya un salario digno) estableciendo unos procesos de control que aseguren su cumplimiento; iii) promuevan un consumo sostenible.
Consideramos útil transcribir acá el listado de las “Reglas Generales” que las empresas multinacionales deben cumplir en todos aquellos países en las cuales operan, teniendo en consideración las opiniones de los “stakeholders” (como precisa el documento original).
Enterprises should:
1. Contribute to economic, environmental and social progress with a view to achieving sustainable development.
2. Respect the internationally recognised human rights of those affected by their activities.
3. Encourage local capacity building through close co-operation with the local community, including business interests, as well as developing the enterprise‟s activities in domestic and foreign markets, consistent with the need for sound commercial practice.
4. Encourage human capital formation, in particular by creating employment opportunities and facilitating training opportunities for employees.
5. Refrain from seeking or accepting exemptions not contemplated in the statutory or regulatory framework related to human rights, environmental, health, safety, labour, taxation, financial incentives, or other issues.
6. Support and uphold good corporate governance principles and develop and apply good corporate governance practices, including throughout enterprise groups.
7. Develop and apply effective self-regulatory practices and management systems that foster a relationship of confidence and mutual trust between enterprises and the societies in which they operate.
8. Promote awareness of and compliance by workers employed by multinational enterprises with respect to company policies through appropriate dissemination of these policies, including through training programmes.
9. Refrain from discriminatory or disciplinary action against workers who make bona fide reports to management or, as appropriate, to the competent public authorities, on practices that contravene the law, the Guidelines or the enterprise‟s policies.
10. Carry out risk-based due diligence, for example by incorporating it into their enterprise risk management systems, to identify, prevent and mitigate actual and potential adverse impacts as described in paragraphs 11 and 12, and account for how these impacts are addressed. The nature and extent of due diligence depend on the circumstances of a particular situation.
11. Avoid causing or contributing to adverse impacts on matters covered by the Guidelines, through their own activities, and address such impacts when they occur.
12. Seek to prevent or mitigate an adverse impact where they have not contributed to that impact, when the impact is nevertheless directly linked to their operations, products or services by a business relationship. This is not intended to shift responsibility from the entity causing an adverse impact to the enterprise with which it has a business relationship.
13. In addition to addressing adverse impacts in relation to matters covered by the Guidelines, encourage, where practicable, business partners, including suppliers and sub-contractors, to apply principles of responsible business conduct compatible with the Guidelines.
14. Engage with relevant stakeholders in order to provide meaningful opportunities for their views to be taken into account in relation to planning and decision making for projects or other activities that may significantly impact local communities.
15. Abstain from any improper involvement in local political activities.
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