Point of departure
Consumers
want to be treated fairly
are increasingly interested to know how a product was produced
ask with what kind of products a company earns its money
However:
There is still a significant gap between consumer attitudes and consumer behavior -yet it is getting smaller
Major constraint for sustainable/ ethical consumption
There is a lack of:
Shared understanding what responsible corporate behaviour means:
donations
philanthropy
selective activities re employees, environment etc.
comprehensive activities re impacts
social business
Credible, comparable and easily accessible information for consumers
The role of international instruments and standards
CSR might be voluntary but it should not be arbitrary
International instruments and standards contribute towards a framework for responsible behaviour
The value of the OECD Guidelines
The strength of the OECD Guidelines is that it:
is a multilaterally endorsed instrument
takes a comprehensive view covering a wide range of issues
has a mechanism for òenforcement’
The weakness of its recommendations are that:
they are quite general
they lack some vital issues that are of importance to consumers
its investment nexus can hardly be explained to consumers
Key question: What can be learned from other standards such as ISO 26000?
What ISO 26000 is
ISO 26000 is a multi-stakeholder standardization process
Objective: To develop an international standard providing guidance on social responsibility for all kinds of organizations. The standard is intended to add value to existing agreements, such as the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, agreements adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) or the OECD Guidelines
Multi-stakeholder process: Representatives from industry, government, consumer, labour, non-governmental organizations; academia
Participation: 430 participating experts and 175 observers from 91 countries and 42 Liaison organizations
Target date for publication: 2010
OECD and ISO have signed MoU and OECD documents are systematically referenced in the standard
What can be learned from ISO 26000 for the consumer chapter (1/2)
Current focus of ûVII. Consumer Interests
health and safety; consumer information about product qualities and use; dispute resolution; marketing practices; privacy and product recall
ISO 26000 òs broader approach
is not constrained by legal status quo
broader approach towards information needs
addresses also sustainable consumption, access to essential services and consumer education
What can be learned from ISO 26000 for the whole standard (2/2)
For consumers it is important that enterprises do not cherry pick and greenwash
Positive: The comprehensive perspective of the OECD Guidelines integrating various issues
Negative: Fundamental expectations unclear in OECD Guidelines:
investment nexus/ responsibility for supply chain
human rights
transparency
How the OECD Guidelines should be refined?
OECD Guidelines should be more specific
improve language on critical issues such as human rights, supply chain and consumers;
reference other OECD documents
Give OECD Guidelines ömore teeth ò
NCPs should be independent and accountable
How could governments promote consumer protection and consumer interests?
Revise the OECD Guidelines
Develop instruments to give consumers more credible, comparable and easy accessible information
Promote sustainable consumption by means of public procurement
Make access to export guarantees dependent on complying with OECD Guidelines