USCIB Updates Archives

USCIB Foundation Hosts Summit of the Future Roundtable to Encourage Public and Private Sector Partnership in Reaching Sustainable Development Goals

Published on June 26, 2024
USCIB Foundation Hosts Summit of the Future Roundtable.

On June 26, The USCIB Foundation and the Moving the Needle initiative convened a roundtable: Navigating the UN Summit of the Future and Beyond with Business: Investing in People-Centered Infrastructure Across the Global Pact for the Future. The Global Pact for the Future will be the main outcome of the UN Summit of the Future this year and is expected to drive a new agenda of international cooperation and UN reform on key issues for business, such as innovative technologies and private sector finance.

The event, hosted by Bechtel, focused on reimagining the role of business in infrastructure investment and implementation for impact, with emphasis on private sector engagement and partnership in action, relevant to the draft UN Pact for the Future and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Featured speakers included:

  • Whitney Baird, President & CEO, USCIB
  • Tam Nguyen, President, Bechtel.org Impact Company, and USCIB Board Member
  • Russell Singer, Infrastructure Development Unit Chief in the Office of Development Finance, State/EB
  • Andrew Wilson, Executive Director, Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)

The discussion covered a number of topics, from the infrastructure investment gap to the need for younger generations to take a leading role in dialogue with business to inform UN deliberations. A key theme was the need for more data to help inform decisions and priorities, and guide investors toward sustainable, high-quality investments in infrastructure. The main issue facing infrastructure isn’t the lack of capital, but the lack of bankable projects. Better data can lead to a fuller pipeline of certified projects, which can then in turn help raise standards and deliver co-benefits in the form of jobs, capacity building and trade opportunities.

A primary example of people-centered infrastructure investment collaboration was the Blue Dot Network, a voluntary, private-sector-focused and government-supported certification scheme for infrastructure projects. It aims to drive synergies between infrastructure and sustainable development. The idea of benefiting people and maintain core standards and values is integral to the Blue Dot Network.

Investment and local growth is not an either/or discussion; the answer is investment and local growth. Good governance provides a better platform for sustainable growth. A challenge worth taking on is how to transfer global standards into local action.

Towards the end of the discussion, USCIB’s Senior VP for Policy and Global Strategy Norine Kennedy previewed the progress to date on the Business Pact for the Future: “Responsible business engagement and input in support of the UN is more vital than ever. Business can be an important resource vital to UN success and delivery of the 2030 Agenda and the Global Pact for the Future,” said Kennedy. “The potential for co-creation and leveraging expertise and resources is significant, and we look forward to advancing the UN’s effectiveness and inclusiveness through private sector partnership and dialogue.”

USCIB Host Joint OECD-BIAC-USCIB Anti-Illicit Trade Discussion

Published on June 26, 2024
From left to right: OECD’s Leonor Sanhueza and Piotr Stryszowski, USCIB Senior Director of Customs and Trade Facilitation Megan Giblin, incoming USCIB AITC Chair Jennifer Lane, and USCIB advisor and BIAC AITEG Chair David Luna.

On June 25, the USCIB DC office hosted a joint OECD – Business at OECD (BIAC) – USCIB Anti-Illicit Trade discussion around the work policy program of the OECD Working Party on Countering Illicit Trade (WP-CIT), where its work in quantifying, characterizing, and increasing understanding of emerging challenges in illicit trade through evidence-based research helps industry address those challenges in a strategic, coordinated, and more effective manner.

During the USCIB and BIAC member only discussion we talked about critical need for public private partnerships (PPPs) in this space and discussed priority topics of both the USCIB Anti-Illicit Trade Committee (AITC) as well as BIAC Anti-Illicit Trade Expert Group (AITEG) including transparency for online marketplaces, investor funded IP litigation, and Free Trade Zones. This was a great opportunity to build on previous in-person meetings during OECD staff visits to Washington, DC.

USCIB Senior Director of Customs and Trade Facilitation Megan Giblin was joined in-person by OECD’s Piotr Stryszowski and Leonor Sanhueza, the incoming USCIB AITC Chair Jennifer Lane, USCIB advisor and BIAC AITEG Chair David Luna, and USCIB member company delegates. We were joined remotely by BIAC’s AITEG leads Emma Brierley and Minami Kakuda, BIAC AITEG Co-Vice Chair Susan Wilson, and other USCIB and/or BIAC members.

USCIB Hosted Conversation with OECD Deputy Director for Trade Julia Nielson

Published on June 26, 2024
From left to right: USCIB’s SVP for Trade, Investment, and Digital Policy Alice Slayton Clark, Deputy Director for the Trade and Agriculture Directorate (TAD) at the OECD Julia Nielson; and Head of OECD’s Washington Center Susan Fridy.

On June 20, USCIB hosted a member discussion with Julia Nielson, Deputy Director for the Trade and Agriculture Directorate (TAD) at the OECD. Deputy Director Nielson provided a detailed review of OECD work on the key issues before TAD, including data flow, digital trade, supply chain resiliency, industrial subsidies, and trade promotion. She also updated USCIB members on the state of current OECD accession discussions now that talks with Thailand have launched.  

Most importantly, there was a discussion on the value of private sector inputs at the OECD and future opportunities at upcoming supply chain and sustainability forums.  

USCIB Participates in the SPP OEWG 3

Published on June 26, 2024

USCIB Policy Manager for Regulation and Trade Chris Olsen, and multiple USCIB members participated at the third Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group to develop a Science-Policy Panel on sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution (SPP OEWG 3).  

At what was supposed to be the OEWG’s final session, running from June 17-21 in Geneva, countries were unable to agree on the foundational structure of the proposed Panel and its various processes. A resumed session of the meeting is now scheduled to take place in the days before the formal Intergovernmental Meeting that would establish the Panel in February of next year.

The Science Policy Panel (SPP) is envisioned to join the existing science panels, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which cover climate change and biodiversity, respectively. The SPP would fill a gap in access and development of scientific resources relating to waste and pollution.  

Unfortunately, there were disagreements on fundamental issues, including on the governing body, an interdisciplinary expert committee, the role of observers and stakeholders, and whether the Secretariat would be executed by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) alone or jointly hosted by both UNEP and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

“There remains commitment among countries to produce the bare bones of legal text that is needed to establish the Panel and transmit it to the Intergovernmental Meeting. This would allow parties to hammer out the subsequent details after its establishment. But much could still delay, or ultimately derail, this important process,” according to Olsen. 

USCIB Intervenes at the UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Conference

Published on June 25, 2024
USCIB’s Agnes Vinblad intervening at the UNFCCC.

From June 3-13, USCIB represented its members at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Bonn Climate Change Conference, held in Bonn, Germany. This annual meeting is a critical preparatory negotiation session ahead of the main Climate Conference of Parties (COP) each year, and USCIB representatives focused on key business topics to be discussed later this year at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. 

USCIB’s Director for Environment and Sustainable Development, Agnes Vinblad, served as one of two Global Business and Industry Representatives to the first Global Dialogue convened under the United Arab Emirates Just Transition Work Programme (UAE JTWP). Throughout the two days of the dialogue, Vinblad delivered five interventions and participated actively throughout the discussion with government delegates and other observer representatives. 

During the two weeks of formal negotiations in Bonn, USCIB prioritized sessions related to the mitigation work program, just transition work program, adaptation, and follow-up items from the first Global Stocktake (GST). USCIB also placed special emphasis on engaging with key delegations bilaterally and contributed actively to the daily global Business & Industry (BINGO) morning briefings each day.  

USCIB key advocacy wins include:  

  • Advocated for US Business views to be considered in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), i.e. national pledges under the Paris Agreement, to be completed next year, resulting in an invitation to deepen and continue the conversation with USCIB members. 
  • Successful follow-up engagement regarding the UNFCCC Secretariat Policy for Engagement and Collaboration with Non-Party Stakeholders (NPS), strengthening USCIB’s relationship with the Secretariat and resulting in plans for further engagement, as USCIB continues to argue for non-discriminatory access, inclusion and treatment of business representatives. 
  • Continued serving as the lead US business voice on the UNFCCC Recognition and Accountability Framework on private sector net-zero pledges, and relayed USCIB member feedback to the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. 

 USCIB key engagements included: 

  • June 5: USCIB represented the Global Business and Industry constituency (BINGO) during the UNFCCC High-Level Champions Dialogue with Constituency Focal Points. 
  • June 8: USCIB chaired the BINGO briefing and was joined by negotiators from the U.S. Delegation, Kevin Adams on climate finance, and Claire Cvitanovich on agriculture. 
  • June 11: USCIB delivered the BINGO statement during the final session of the agenda item Arrangement of Intergovernmental Meetings (AIM) on observer engagement in the UNFCCC process.  

For more information, contact Agnes Vinblad avinblad@uscib.org 

USCIB Leads Association Letter Urging Biden Administration to Maintain Strong Investor Safeguards in US Trade and Investment Agreements

Published on June 20, 2024

In a letter sent today to Ambassador Katherine Tai, Secretary Antony Blinken, and Secretary Gina Raimondo, representatives of US businesses from among virtually every sector of the US economy called upon the Biden Administration to maintain investor safeguards in US trade and investment agreements, including national treatment and access to neutral, independent dispute settlement. These safeguards are fundamental to incentivizing and protecting US foreign direct investment (FDI) abroad that will power the green transition and help the United States grow its economy, compete with China, and promote resilient supply chains. Additionally, it would be counterproductive to remove these critical safeguards at a time when US FDI has never been more important to achieving US economic and foreign policy objectives.

Read the letter here.

USCIB Participates in the ICANN 80 Policy Forum

Published on June 18, 2024

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) 80 Policy Forum took place in Kigali, Rwanda 10-13 June 2024. This meeting examined critical issues facing the Internet ecosystem, with particular emphasis on the preparations for the next round of the New Generic Top-Level Domain Program (gTLD). 

ICANN 80 kicked off with a welcome message from Tripti Sinha, The ICANN Board Chair and Sally Costerson, the Interim President and CEO. The ICANN Board of Directors later announced Kurt Erik “Kurtis” Lindqvist as the next ICANN President and CEO. Lindqvist brings more than 30 years of experience as an industry leader and will officially assume the role on December 5, 2024. 

The Digital Industry now looks forward to ICANN81, which will take place from November 9-14, 2024, in Istanbul. Topics of focus will include the ongoing review of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Transfer Policy, which aims to enhance domain name portability. Discussions will also examine root server security, and the delivery of the final report from the GNSO Expedited Policy Development Process. 

Annual International Labor Parliament Discusses Biohazards, Care Economy, and Fundamental Rights

Published on June 18, 2024
USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird (left) and Head of US Employer Delegation to the ILC Ewa Staworzynska (right), with newly elected IOE President and Executive Director of Kenyan Employers and the Societe Generale (SG) of Business Africa Jackie Mugo (center).  

The annual International Labour Conference (ILC), also called the international labor parliament, has ended its two–week deliberations in Geneva. This year’s agenda included a new international labor standard on biohazards in the working environment, a discussion on decent work in the care economy, and a discussion on fundamental principles and rights at work. USCIB, as the US employer representative to the International Labour Organization (ILO), led the US business community’s participation, with a record large delegation. 

The ILC is the only moment during the year where more than 5000 social partners – workers, employers, and governments – meet at the ILO to negotiate labor standards and discuss international labor policy. In addition, as part of the ILO supervisory mechanism, delegates discuss country cases pertaining to the application of ratified ILO standards. The two policy discussions – on care economy and fundamental principles and rights at work – ended with sets of consensus-based conclusions, despite, at times, challenging negotiations. The negotiation on the new labor standard on biological hazards concluded its first out of two sittings, and the standard is shaping up to be a Convention (binding) and a Recommendation (non-binding). 

USCIB President and CEO, Whitney Baird, participated in the ILC and the IOE General Council, the annual meeting of IOE member federations. Federations discussed the challenges faced globally amidst geopolitical tensions and what is needed to ensure a strong business voice in global policymaking. 

The ILO Governing Body also went through elections, and Tom Mackall, USCIB Senior Counsel, was re-elected as a member of the Governing Body. 

As part of the ILC, the ILO inaugurated its Global Coalition for Social Justice, the Director-General’s flagship initiative, with participants from around the world, including President Lula of Brazil. The US is one of the few countries that has tripartite representation in the Global Coalition.  

The ILO also took the opportunity to convene a consultation with the co-facilitators of the forthcoming World Summit for Social Development. The employer community underscored the need for strong involvement of social partners both in the process leading up to the Summit and during the negotiations of the forthcoming Political Declaration.  

“The ILC is a major highlight of the year for us. Thanks to the unique tripartite nature of the ILO, the ILC is the only multilateral negotiation that gives a direct voice and vote to employers. US companies are actively participating, ensuring policy outcomes that consider the realities faced by global businesses,” said Ewa Staworzynska, Head of US Employer Delegation to the ILC. 

New Standard on Biohazards Negotiated at the ILC

Published on June 18, 2024
Left to Right: Fabio Moraes, Head of North America Occupational Health & Industrial Hygiene, Bayer; Maria Isabel Maya Rubio, Spain Employers; Jose Arroyo, USCIB Policy Manager; and Stefanie Evans-Cypher, Senior Associate General Counsel, Walmart.

This year, the International Labour Conference (ILC), the international labor parliament that convenes business, unions, and governments from ILO Member States, completed the first negotiation on a new international labor standard on protections against biological hazards in the working environment, which will likely be a legally binding Convention, supplemented by a Recommendation. USCIB, as the sole US employer representative, played a key role in shaping the discussions in Geneva.   

The US Employers’ delegation was instrumental in the first year of a two-year negotiation for the new standard-setting. US companies such as Amazon, Bayer, Littler and Walmart, led by USCIB Policy Manager Jose Arroyo, provided substantive analysis and encouraged a strategic approach throughout the negotiations. We prevented the inclusion of language that would have burdened US businesses’ operations worldwide.  

“We have a lot of work to do for next year, but I feel confident that we – employers – established some clear lines of what could be included in the potential convention and what could not,” said Arroyo.  

However, while the spirit of constructive work and consensus-building was present during the sessions, the negotiations with workers’ representatives and governments were challenging. There are important and concerning topics for employers to consider for next year, especially related to the definitions and scope of biological hazards, as well as the necessary distinction between public health national policies and occupational safety and health standards. 

The text remains complex for companies and employers and the outcome will likely be an overly prescriptive legally binding convention, potentially complicating its ratification by Member States. In the face of these challenges, USCIB will continue to advocate for an implementable convention to ensure a clearer distinction between the responsibilities of public health authorities compared to those of employers. 

 

USCIB Co-Signs Multi-Association Letter on Canada Digital Services Tax

Published on June 12, 2024

USCIB co-signed a letter to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai urging prompt and decisive action under USMCA to confront Canada’s imminent enactment of a digital services tax (DST). The tax would have serious economic implications for US services companies and their consumers and create a chilling effect on the investment climate in Canada. 

Read the full letter here.