Business In Society Archives

USCIB Announces 2021 Priority Issues for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

Published on January 6, 2021

Washington D.C., January 5, 2020 — The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents many of America’s leading global companies, appreciates and welcomes the committed partnerships that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has established with the private sector to address the many economic, trade and regulatory opportunities available to foster greater integration between APEC’s twenty-one member economies. Each year, USCIB issues a statement outlining priorities and recommendations that USCIB and its members would like to see advanced in that particular APEC year; we are pleased to announce and make available our 2021 APEC Priority Issues and Recommendations paper:

USCIB commends the leadership of Malaysia in 2020, particularly under the challenging circumstances of adjusting to virtual meetings in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic. Our members see the New Zealand host year as an important opportunity to continue essential work in APEC working groups and to set topics for major outcomes and deliverables. USCIB members are eager to learn more about key initiatives for New Zealand during its host year and how business can help achieve these initiatives. Further, USCIB members are looking forward to Thailand’s host year in 2022. We stand ready to provide relevant inputs into the establishment of goals and objectives. The policy priorities of USCIB reflect our longstanding and overarching objectives of promoting open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility. The priorities and recommendations detailed in this document are practical recommendations that can be taken to address some of the challenges for governments and businesses in the APEC region.

There remain ongoing global business concerns that the U.S. government and APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) members should consider as they identify priorities for the upcoming year. USCIB members have identified key issues that are detailed in this paper. We view this APEC Priority Issues and Recommendations policy paper as a “living document”, which is updated on an annual basis at the time of the CEO Summit, and as necessary following Senior Official Meetings throughout the year. The priorities in this statement are not exhaustive, in many cases they are “living issues”, and we will continue to work with our members on emerging and developing issues. We would be pleased to address any questions and discuss any of these recommendations in greater detail.

About USCIB:

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world, generating $5 trillion in annual revenues and employing over 11 million people worldwide. As the U.S. affiliate of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Organization of Employers, and Business at OECD (known as BIAC), USCIB helps to provide business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

USCIB Encourages Biden Environmental Nominees to Engage on Multilateral Issues

Published on December 21, 2020

New York, N.Y., December 18, 2020: The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) issued a statement today by its President and CEO, Peter Robinson, commending the nominations of Michael Regan, for Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and Brenda Mallory to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

“USCIB members are strongly committed to advancing environmental protection through innovation and investment in the global marketplace. We believe that EPA and CEQ play crucial roles in shaping U.S. international environmental policy, not just in connection with climate change but in other priority areas, such as pursuing nature-based solutions, circular economies and responsible chemicals risk management. 2021 will be a year of important decision-points in the multilateral system, looking ahead to the fifth UN Environment Assembly and eventual thirty-year anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit; vigorous U.S. engagement in those deliberations will be vital for economic prosperity and environmental stewardship at home and abroad.

“USCIB sees opportunities to pursue synergies across international and domestic actions for enhanced environmental benefits, and advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), delivering a recovery that improves environmental quality, creates jobs and stimulates public-private partnerships. Since 1992, USCIB has represented U.S. business in support of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement. In addition, USCIB has been the voice of American business at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), and other multilateral environmental deliberations and forums. USCIB is fully committed to international cooperation and to partnership with our government to advance American private sector-driven economic prosperity and environmental stewardship at home and abroad. In our view, it is critical to continue to focus on and champion substantive engagement of U.S. business across the UN system on key environmental topics.

“USCIB and its members are ready to assist the incoming Administration to develop and implement market-oriented environmental solutions and measures, working with the international community and in consultation with the American private sector. As the U.S. affiliate of Business at OECD (BIAC), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE), and with its own standing at the UNFCCC, UNEP and at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), USCIB is uniquely placed to scale and amplify these opportunities across the UN system, and in the OECD and the WTO.”

About USCIB: USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms with operations in every region of the world. As the U.S. affiliate of leading international business organizations and as the sole U.S. business group with standing in ECOSOC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

Policy Contact: VP for Strategic International Engagement, Energy and Environment Norine Kennedy (nkennedy@uscib.org)

USCIB Commemorates Human Rights Day and Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Published on December 16, 2020

New York, N.Y., December 10, 2020: The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) issued the following statement on occasion of Human Rights Day today:

“On this Human Rights Day, USCIB stands with the global community in commemorating the important milestone of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The UDHR rightly proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.The coverage of these rights includes LGBTI people too.

“USCIB especially welcomes the theme of this year’s Human Rights Day, “Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights,” and is dedicated to encouraging, advocating for and promoting human rights in business though sound regulations, greater respect for rule of law and greater business community involvement. The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated how important and fragile respect for human rights can be, while simultaneously demonstrating that challenges can present important opportunities to collaborate for solutions. We are proud of the actions undertaken by our membership of multinational businesses, law firms and trade associations to ensure that people and planet are protected during the pandemic.”As we come together as a global community to rebuild throughout and beyond COVID-19, USCIB and our members are committed to working with governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to advance sustainable and human rights-based solutions for all. This includes those global business organizations for which we serve as the U.S. affiliate, the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Organization of Employers and Business at OECD (known as ‘BIAC’).”

About USCIB: USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms with operations in every region of the world. As the U.S. affiliate of the leading international business organizations, and as the sole U.S. business group with standing in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

USCIB Member P&G Wins 2020 Corporate Leadership Award

Published on December 9, 2020
P&G’s Deborah Majoras. Image source: Google

The Coalition for Integrity (“C4I”), a leading Washington-based NGO devoted to fighting bribery and corruption in the U.S. and internationally, awarded its coveted Corporate Leadership Award for 2020 to Procter & Gamble (“P&G”), a long-time USCIB member company.  P&G was honored on December 8 for its good corporate citizenship, leadership in proposing transparency and integrity and its long-established Purposes, Values and Principles (“PVP”) program.  P&G Chief Legal Officer Deborah Majoras accepted the award on behalf of P&G CEO David Taylor.  The Coalition also cited P&G’s extraordinary efforts and philanthropy in 2020 to fight the COVID-19 virus. 

P&G is the seventh USCIB member company to receive the C41 Corporate Leadership Award, joining previous winners Bechtel, The Coca-Cola Company, General Electric, Marriott International, PepsiCo and Raytheon Technologies.

USCIB President & CEO Peter Robinson congratulated P&G. “We’re delighted to see, again this year, one of our leading companies, P&G, recognized for its pathbreaking leadership on corporate responsibility, integrity, anti-corruption and corporate citizenship,” said Robinson. “Like other USCIB companies, P&G has earned an enviable reputation for its corporate leadership here at home in the U.S. and around the world.  P&G sells products in 180 countries around the world and has a direct corporate presence in over 70 of those nations. Our member companies are making the world a much better place and are an example for other companies around the world.”   

The Coalition presented its other major award, the Integrity Award, to Dr. Anthony Fauci, in recognition of his work in combatting the COVID-19 virus and maintaining a high standard of scientific integrity and credibility. The Coalition’s press release on the Awards non-dinner gala ceremony highlights Dr. Fauci’s acceptance speech. USCIB Senior Advisor Shaun Donnelly is a longtime member of the Coalition for Integrity’s Policy Advisory Board.  He and USCIB Senior Director for Trade, Investment and Financial Services Eva Hampl have worked with the Coalition on international anti-bribery issues, including promoting enforcement of the OECD Anti-bribery Convention. 

USCIB Leads Business Dialogue on Climate Change and Trade, Investment and Recovery

Published on December 9, 2020

The Major Economies Business Forum (BizMEF) held its annual Business Dialogue on December 7, en route to next year’s Glasgow Climate Summit; this year’s BizMEF event was held virtually following the postponement of COP26 in Scotland.  The event, Restoring Momentum, Advancing Synergies – Building Recovery into COP26 with the Private Sector, set the scene for a series of in-depth dialogues in 2021 on trade and climate, climate investment and finance for innovation and national climate pledges that reflect COVID19 impacts and recovery opportunities.

The BizMEF Business Dialogue marked the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement and welcomed over seventy participants from government, academia and business.  Opening the session were USCIB CEO and President Peter Robinson and the Chief Strategist for Minority, Policy and Communications of the Climate Select Committee from the U.S. House of Representatives George David Banks.  In his remarks, Banks cautioned against unilateralism and stressed that multilateralism, commercial strategies and leveraging domestic policies will go a long way in realizing the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The dialogue discussed free trade and climate change, including the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism proposal, the impacts and considerations of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic disruption and development of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as well as climate change finance and investment.

High-level government speakers at the December 7 dialogue included Ignacio Garcia Bercero, from the European Commission Directorate General for Trade, Motoko Ogawa, deputy director of Japan’s Environmental Economy Office and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Switzerland’s lead negotiator for climate finance, Gabriella Blatter.

USCIB is a founding member of BizMEF, an alliance of more than twenty leading multisectoral business groups from OECD and non-OECD countries, including BusinessEurope, Brazil (CNI), France (MEDEF), Japan (Keidanren), CGEM (Morocco), the AI Group (Australia) and others. BizMEF Dialogues at Climate Summits have been held every year since 2012 in Doha, Warsaw, Lima, Katowice, Marrakesh, Bonn and, most recently, in Madrid last year.

Robinson Delivers Business Perspective on Investment at UNCTAD High-Level Conference

Published on December 9, 2020

As the leading business speaker at the opening plenary session of the virtual Global Investment Promotion Conference organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) December 7-8, USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson laid out a clear message on the importance of investment in driving global economic recovery, trade and jobs. 

Robinson shared the virtual dais with UNCTAD Secretary General Mukhisa Kituyi, President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, as well as leading business representatives, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Permanent Observer to the United Nations Andrew Wilson.

Robinson’s remarks on trade focused on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the critical role of governments’ efforts in promoting FDI; he emphasized the importance of a strong investment climate and rule of law as foreign investors evaluate possible foreign investments. Robinson also endorsed UNCTAD’s efforts to build capacity of developing country governments in investment promotion.  According to Robinson, one key element in any investment agreement is access to effective, independent dispute settlement procedures by a potential investor.

“I was honored to be included in the opening panel for UNCTAD’s important virtual conference on investment promotion,” Robinson said. “We appreciate UNCTAD’s work in the critical area of investment policy. UNCTAD has clearly established itself as the global ‘go-to’ source for investment statistics and catalogue of provisions of regional and bilateral investment agreements.  We also greatly support UNCTAD’s efforts to include business perspectives in their conferences, including in panels and debates.  We at USCIB are convinced that FDI flows in all directions are key to getting the global economy back on track. The economy benefits from both inward and outward FDI flows, fostering trade, creating good jobs at home and abroad, as well as bolstering American competitiveness in today’s and tomorrow’s competitive global economy.”

USCIB member and Microsoft’s Vice President for UN Affairs in NY John Frank was a featured speaker on a December 8 panel “Executive Dialogue of Investment Facilitation and Advocacy.”  The Conference program and full list of speakers is available at Global Investment Promotion Conference – World Investment Forum – UNCTAD

USCIB Urges Governments to Strengthen Capacity to Protect Human Rights

Published on November 11, 2020

The United Nations held a sixth special session of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) October 26-30 to negotiate a proposed legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights. USCIB, through its observatory status in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), was represented by members of its Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs team, notably Vice President Gabriella Rigg Herzog and Assistant Policy and Program Manager Daniella Goncalves. Other participants this year included sixty-seven governments (down from eighty-nine in 2019), as well as other civil society organizations.

As could be observed by the UN TV-streamed proceedings, no clear consensus on either the draft text or the overall initiative emerged at the session.

“Unlike the unanimous support that the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights received from the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, this IGWG session demonstrated once again the continued and strong divergence of views of governments on this matter” said Herzog. “USCIB and our members remain committed to fulfilling the business responsibility to respect human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles, and we encourage all stakeholders to redouble efforts to support the advancement of the UN Guiding Principles.”

“Recognized gaps concerning the core role of governments in fulfilling their State duty to protect human rights remain. Encouraging and supporting States as they work to build their capacity to effectively enforce their own national laws should be a priority for all stakeholders if meaningful access to remedy is to be achieved,” added Goncalves.

The United States government has opposed the IGWG since its launch in 2014 and issued a public statement again this year on October 26, citing opposition to the treaty based on its substance and the process around its development.

Other countries, such as Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan and Norway, also did not attend this year’s sessions. Among the sixty-seven countries who did attend, many expressed the need for greater clarity on definitions, scope, liability and jurisdiction, emphasized the differences in state capacity and costs associated with implementation, as well as asserted the need to respect sovereignty.

USCIB will continue to observe and provide direct insights to its Members on this initiative.

USCIB Welcomes US Intention to Rejoin the Paris Agreement

Published on November 10, 2020

Co-creating a U.S. climate plan to restore economies and to deploy American innovation globally

Washington, D.C., November 10, 2020 — The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) welcomes the intention of the incoming Administration to rejoin the Paris Agreement. Multilateralism matters to business, and nowhere is this conviction more important than in addressing climate change, especially against the backdrop of the pandemic and its economic and social impacts.

For over twenty-five years, USCIB members have supported the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and have been fully committed both to international cooperation and partnership with our government to tackle the impacts of climate change while advancing American private-sector driven economic prosperity and environmental stewardship at home and abroad. In our view, it is critical to continue to focus on and champion substantive engagement of U.S. business in all dimensions of the UNFCCC.

Enabling conditions inside and outside the framework of climate policy will be vital to progress towards the objectives of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement. USCIB is ready to recommend synergistic approaches that mobilize trade and investment to support and deploy innovative technologies and forms of energy.

As the U.S. affiliate of Business at OECD (BIAC), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE), and with its own standing at the UNFCCC and at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), USCIB is uniquely placed to scale and amplify these opportunities across the UN system, and in the OECD and the WTO.

As it re-engages, we encourage the Biden Administration to work closely with the full diversity of U.S. business across every sector of the economy. This will be essential to deliver a U.S. Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) that advances U.S. economic growth, energy security, job creation and climate action, for the widest benefit of all in our society.

While this might take time, we believe it is worth the effort to consult and reflect the views and expertise of USCIB members and other business stakeholders on economic, social, energy and environmental dimensions of U.S. actions at home and abroad in this critical area.

We look forward to this new chapter of vigorous American involvement and cooperation towards a successful COP26 climate meeting in 2021, and to U.S. involvement in the UNFCCC process into the future.

About USCIB: USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms with operations in every region of the world. USCIB has represented U.S. business at the UNFCCC since 1993. Furthermore, as the U.S. affiliate of leading international business organizations and as the sole U.S. business group with standing in ECOSOC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

Business Letter to US Senate on Dire Situation in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

Published on November 9, 2020

USCIB joined with several other associations, including the U.S.-China Business Council, the National Retail Federation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among others, to express great concern regarding the dire situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The letter was sent to the Honorable Sherrod Brown and the Honorable Ron Wyden of the United States Senate on November 6 and is copied below.

Dear Senators Brown and Wyden:

Thank you for your October 27, 2020, letter regarding the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

The situation in XUAR is of enormous concern to the undersigned associations and our member companies. We have been working together and with other stakeholders to respond to this issue for some time. Forced labor in any form is horrific and intolerable, wherever it takes place. What is even more concerning is that forced labor – as horrific as it is – is only one component of a much larger campaign of oppression in this region.

Our members have long implemented rigorous due diligence activities to support and advance ethical manufacturing globally. These efforts have uncovered forced, bonded, and prison labor in facilities around the world. When they find such practices, our members act to root out and redress unacceptable and unethical practices.

Our members have been on the frontlines of deploying a range of best practices to prevent, identify, and mitigate instances of forced labor as well as joining forces in a collective effort to address the situation. Our members have been mapping out their supply chains and engaging with their supplier base and other partners to ensure there is no forced labor in their supply chains. We continue to explore alternative sourcing strategies and more effective due diligence mechanisms and technologies. That work has been and will continue in earnest. However, the situation in this region is of a scale, scope, and complexity – coupled with a lack of transparency – that is unprecedented in modern supply chains and goes beyond the capability of our members to fight this alone.

We strongly believe that the U.S. government must take a leadership role in a global approach that mobilizes the Administration and Congress, in conjunction with foreign governments, and engaging and partnering with industry, labor, and other important stakeholders. Marshalling the collective might of all stakeholders will be the most effective and only way of achieving our shared goal – ending forced labor practices and the larger campaign of oppression in the region.

The undersigned associations strongly condemn human rights abuses, including forced labor and the persecution and detention of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China. We stand ready to work with you and your staff, and with all stakeholders, to find meaningful measures that would effectively safeguard human rights. We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss what our organizations and our members are doing and determine possible paths forward.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

 

Sincerely,

American Apparel & Footwear Association

Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America

National Retail Federation

Retail Industry Leaders Association

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

U.S.-China Business Council

U.S. Council for International Business

U.S. Fashion Industry Association

USCIB Issues Recommendations to EU on a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

Published on November 4, 2020

The European Union concluded a public consultation last month on a proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), part of the EU’s ambitious Green Deal, focusing on deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. USCIB submitted its members’ response on October 28, drawing on the expertise of its Committees on Customs, Environment, Taxation as well as Trade and Investment.

“The EU CBAM proposal is complex, seeking to “level the playing field” by imposing extra costs on imports from countries with different climate change policies” said USCIB Vice President for Environment, Energy and Strategic International Engagement Norine Kennedy. “In our comments, we addressed climate change, trade and technical aspects of the proposal which we believe to be most relevant to American companies doing business with, and in, the EU.”

One critical recommendation was on timing; USCIB encouraged the EU to undertake thorough consultative and data-based economic and trade impact assessments, especially with regards to developing countries, to avoid unintended and counter-productive consequences on livelihoods. “As countries continue to experience the fall out and economic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe governments should proceed cautiously before adding stresses to the global trading system,” warned Eva Hampl, USCIB senior director for trade, investment and financial services.

USCIB also stressed the importance of ensuring compatibility with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, warning that some elements of the EU CBAM proposal are unclear, which may lead to time-consuming disputes and delay the positive potential for deployment of innovative technologies and materials vital to climate change action, as well as hinder economic growth and recovery.

Hampl added: “Any further development of this currently counter-productive proposal must avoid and head off climate disputes at the WTO that may lead to unpredictable or unintended negative outcomes in environment, climate and trade negotiations.”

On technical practicality and administrative burdens, USCIB’s recommendation included reducing those burdens and the associated costs of compliance, which would inevitably subtract from resources available for other areas of environmental improvement.

USCIB believes that synergies between trade and environment protection should be the focus of international cooperation, and unilateral measures should be discouraged.

“Open trade advances economic prosperity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it is an essential vehicle to achieve widespread and rapid deployment of climate-related investments and cleaner and more efficient technologies and forms of energy,” emphasized Kennedy. “To meet the commitments and objectives of the SDGs, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, it is clear that more trade will be needed.”

For more information:

Earlier this year, USCIB published a paper Seeking Synergies: Environment, Climate and Trade Policy.