Business In Society Archives

UN 2030 Development Agenda Week

Published on April 18, 2016
Norine Kennedy and Peter Robinson speak at a press conference on December 9 at COP21 in Paris.Norine Kennedy and Peter Robinson speak at a press conference on December 9 at COP21 in Paris.

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Norine Kennedy and Peter Robinson speak at a press conference on December 9 at COP21 in Paris.

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L-R: Amina Mohammed (UN), Peter Robinson (USCIB), Alex Thier (USAID). Shawn Miles (MasterCard) and moderator Matthew Bishop (The Economist).

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Ronnie Goldberg unveils the Business for 2030 website at the Global Employers’ Summit in Bahrain.

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Business & Climate Summit 2015, ICC Secretary General John Danilovich.

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Business & Climate Summit 2015, ICC and USCIB Chairman Terry McGraw.

L-R: John Danilovich (ICC), Christiana Figueres (the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and Terry McGraw (ICC).L-R: John Danilovich (ICC), Christiana Figueres (the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and Terry McGraw (ICC).

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L-R: John Danilovich (ICC), Christiana Figueres (the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and Terry McGraw (ICC).

As United Nations members gather in New York to sign the Paris Climate Agreement and discuss follow-up on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed last year, we thought it timely to recap some of the activities USCIB and its global network undertook in 2015 in support of these pivotal initiatives:

Read USCIB’s Statement: “Setting the 2015 Sustainability Agenda In Motion”

North American Regional Consultation on Climate Change

USCIB convened the North American Business Consultation  on Climate Change on June 23 in Washington, D.C.; this session, organized with the International Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the International Emissions Trading Association, highlighted U.S. and Canadian business priorities for the U.N. climate agreement to be finalized in Paris this December.

In his opening comments to the day-long conference, with over 80 participants including government officials, business leaders, United Nations delegates, and academics, USCIB’s President and CEO, Peter Robinson stated: “USCIB has followed climate change for 20 plus years, and while the issues have evolved, become broader, been through ups and downs in the U.N. negotiations, it has remained a priority for member companies.  And en route to Paris, we see it evolving again, to include a strong element of corporate citizenship and social equity.”

Financing the Sustainable Development Goals

Last year, the United Nations agreed to an ambitious 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, a grand vision for sustainability that will reshape the practice of development globally, as well as the private sector’s role in building a more prosperous, healthy world. USCIB is deeply engaged in all aspects of Agenda 2030, advocating for good governance and the rule of law, inclusive economic growth, investment in infrastructure, enabling environments to foster innovation, strong public-private partnerships and above all, an open channel for business input into policy negotiations and implementation at the international and national levels.

USCIB has played a central role in marshaling business input into the UN’s Financing for Development process, having worked actively with members and our global network to ensure that the private sector’s voice was heard at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development last July, where UN member states established a new financing framework to support sustainable development for the next 15 years – the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. The new financing framework is generally positive for business, with policies that include an emphasis on governance and domestic resource mobilization, support for blended finance and a move away from an overly-narrow focus on official development assistance. USCIB is also actively engaged in the first follow-up and review of this new framework Financing for Development conference, participating in several high-level events during the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development in New York, April 18-21. USCIB also raised and continues to monitor intellectual property and tax concerns as part of the financing for development process.

Business for 2030

In September 2015, USCIB officially launched its well-received Business for 2030 web portal, a catalog of business engagement that showcases the private sector’s contributions to the SDGs. Business for 2030 features over 140 initiatives from 35 companies in over 150 countries of how businesses are helping to achieve 72 of the 169 SDG targets. In addition to educating the business community about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, the website highlights concrete initiatives and public-private partnerships to inspire renewed trust in the private sector, and to catalyze sustained and active business engagement in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Through its blog and Twitter presence, the site also targets business perspectives to the UN community to sensitize them to business perspectives on SDG priorities and implementation.

USCIB Represents Business at Cool Earth Forum in Tokyo

USCIB attended the 2nd Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF2) on October 6-7 in Tokyo.  ICEF2, convened at the initiative of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, focused on promoting technological innovation as a means to address climate change. The two-day forum brought together 1,000 researchers, business representatives and policymakers from around the globe to present a broad range of innovative technologies, and discuss what innovative measures should be developed, how the innovation should be promoted, and how cooperation and public private partnership should be enhanced.

At High-Level Summit, Business Representatives Urge Ambitious Climate Pact

Private-sector representatives from around the world endorsed the conclusion of an ambitious and comprehensive worldwide agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience, while advancing energy access and security in the context of sustainable development.

During a December meeting at the headquarters of the French business federation. MEDEF, company executives and business federation officials from more than 20 countries agreed on a joint declaration stating: “Climate change is a common responsibility for all stakeholders, including for businesses in every part of the world, of every sector and every size, large groups and SMEs.”

United Nations Paris Climate Agreement (COP21) 

In December 2015, the United Nations concluded what was possibly the most important environmental meeting in history, when 194 countries agreed to a long-term climate treaty designed to curb global greenhouse gas emissions. The climate negotiations in Paris (COP21) saw unprecedented support and involvement from the business community, with USCIB and member companies on the ground at COP21 to demonstrate their commitment and stake in the accord.

Thanks to sustained advocacy from USCIB and other business organizations, the final climate agreement recognizes the need for enabling investment frameworks in global markets, as well as policies necessary to mobilize business innovation across all borders. Innovation, enabling frameworks for cost effective and scientifically sound policy design, and the need to work with business in partnerships are priorities for USCIB’s ongoing involvement in UN environmental work.

IOE Calls for Structural Reforms at DC B20 Gathering

Published on April 18, 2016

worker_femaleInternational Organization of Employers (IOE) President Daniel Funes delivered a strong message in Washington over the weekend at several meetings of the B20, whose deliberations followed those of the G20 Finance Ministers.

While the final communiqué issued by the finance minsters expressed concern over “modest global growth,” Funes went further, saying that persistent delay to structural reforms in G20 labor markets risked turning an already serious employment challenge into a “huge social crisis”.

“What we really need are structural reforms that create an enabling environment for companies, especially SMEs, to hire more easily.”

He expressed the disappointment of the B20 Employment Task Force that the G20 had yet to prove itself the engine of reform it had promised to be.  This, he said, was a direct result of G20 governments failing to implement their commitments at the national level, consistently falling short of tackling the “the core issues to make labor markets more flexible and dynamic”.

Giving his reaction to the new multi-annual work plan of the G20 Employment Working Group, to be adopted at the end of the month in Shanghai, he noted that language around structural reform was conspicuous by its absence: “What we really need are structural reforms that create an enabling environment for companies, especially SMEs, to hire more easily.”  Additional urgent reforms were needed to help job growth catch up with GDP growth, such as better aligning education and training systems to labor market needs. “Employment opportunities for young workers are not keeping pace with demand,” said Funes, “This is a major concern and could impact social stability.”

He concluded by saying that the IOE would continue to support the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in producing an annual scorecard, mapping the extent to which the G20 was delivering on its commitments and that the IOE, in collaboration with the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, would be paying particular attention to the level of ambition of G20 employment plans, as well as progress in their implementation.

Funes met with B20 leadership, spoke in the B20 plenary, and made an intervention in his capacity as co-chair at the B20 Employment Task Force session in a series of meetings on April 16 and 17.

ILO Will Review MNE Declaration

Published on March 24, 2016

The International Labor Organization’s (ILO) 1977 Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) provides guidelines for regulating the conduct of global businesses and defines the terms for their relations with workers and host countries in the developing world. The ILO Governing Body has recently discussed the possible review of the declaration, which was last updated in 2006, with some groups pushing for a full revision of the text that could include additional burdens and obligations on businesses.

While the business community, represented within the ILO by the global employers’ group facilitated by the International Organization of Employers (IOE), supports the MNE Declaration and recognizes the importance of updating it to reflect recent developments – such as the endorsement of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights – the employers’ group does not believe a more comprehensive revision of the declaration would be needed.

During a meeting of the ILO Governing body this week, the employers’ group warned against any excessive revision of the declaration for the following reasons. First, any major changes to the declaration could create a conflict between it and other international regulatory texts, such as the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises, which has a chapter on Employment and Industrial Relations that is already carefully aligned to the existing text of the MNE Declaration. Significant changes to the MNE Declaration  could create confusion for OECD member states and the companies subject to the Guidelines’ recommendations, which were substantially revised in 2011 after much multistakeholder discussion. Second, the employers noted it is unrealistic to believe that the text can be fully updated in just one year, in time for the 40th anniversary of the declaration in 2017. Finally, the employers’ group argued that given the ILO’s limited resources, money should be invested in essential work in the field, rather than formal bureaucratic procedures in Geneva.

Although the employers called for a limited revision of the declaration to be executed by the ILO Secretariat, the ILO governing body agreed to undertake a full revision of the Declaration through a tripartite working group over the coming year, with the aim of completing the update in time for the text’s 40th anniversary. However, the employers’ group was able to negotiate a clause in the text regarding the structure of the tripartite working group, which underlines that the tripartite working group will make its decisions by consensus. This provision will give the employers considerable leverage as the process unfolds.

More information on the ILO’s decision can be found on the IOE’s website.

Global Nutrition: What Is the Private Sector Doing?

Published on March 22, 2016

SDG Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security & improved nutrition, promote sustainable agriculture

By Helen Medina

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month in the United States?  For policymakers, nutrition is top of mind.  In fact, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals place nutrition and the mission to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture” at number 2 only after Goal 1 which is to “End poverty everywhere.”

It is indisputable that nutrition provides a vital foundation for human development and is central to meeting one’s full potential.  Nutrition is also important from an economic point of view. Hunger and under-nutrition weaken the mental and physical development of children and adolescents. This in turn lowers the work capacity and income potential of adults and leads to huge social and economic costs. According to estimates by a 2013 UN Food and Agriculture Organization report, hunger and under-nutrition cost the global economy an estimated 2-3 percent of global gross domestic product, equivalent to $1.4-2.1 trillion per year.

The private sector is a key actor in providing nutrition from investing in agriculture; to improving the social, economic and environmental practices in farming and the supply chain; to mobilizing, innovating, and finally delivering agricultural products and food.

So what is the private sector doing on nutrition? For starters, the private sector is a key actor in providing nutrition from investing in agriculture; to improving the social, economic and environmental practices in farming and the supply chain; to mobilizing, innovating, and finally delivering agricultural products and food.  As an employer, the private sector also has a vital role in increasing the livelihoods of society as a way to address poverty, malnutrition and under-nutrition. But that’s not the whole picture. It’s far from it and more can be done. One stakeholder alone can’t solve complex nutrition challenges.

The importance of good governance policies and regulations that support private sector involvement in agriculture should not be underestimated. Access to finance and empowering women is also crucial for improving nutrition around the world. Women are often the family’s primary caretakers and they tend to invest in their children’s health. It’s therefore important for governments to promote policies that help women become farmers, traders and entrepreneurs. Promoting trade and investment in agriculture is also crucial for combating global hunger. There is significant evidence from UN reports that demonstrate increased trade, particularly in the agriculture and food industry, raises the standard of living in developing countries and improves the performance of national economies, all of which are necessary for healthy societies.

Additionally, multi-stakeholder partnerships should be encouraged. More and more of these types of approaches are widely recognized as necessary to increasing the scope of financial and human resources in order to tackle nutritional challenges on a large scale. The private sector often partners with governments and researchers to innovate and create new tools for farmers that improve nutrition. It is essential for all stakeholders to work together and develop a global food system that improves people’s nutrition in a sustainable way. We are committed to public-private partnerships that support nutrition strategies and to preserving natural resources to continue to grow food which is necessary for nutrition.

USCIB Monthly Health and Nutrition Blog

February: We’ve All Got to Work Together On Global Health Issues

January: Businesses Celebrate American Heart Month

Curbing Bribery and Providing a Level Playing Field for International Business

Published on March 18, 2016

scalesParis, March 16, 2016 –The Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) actively participated in the OECD Ministerial which brought together Ministers from the 41 State Parties as well as other key partner countries to the Anti-Bribery Convention. BIAC called for close private sector involvement in an ambitious OECD strategy to fight corruption and bribery.

“BIAC recognizes the OECD’s strong capacity to work horizontally in the fight against foreign bribery”, said Klaus Moosmayer of Siemens, who chairs the BIAC Task Force on Anti-Corruption/Bribery. “Close public-private cooperation is essential to effectively curb foreign bribery and provide a real level playing field for international business.”

In preparation for the OECD Ministerial meeting, BIAC identified key business priorities for governments to fight against bribery and corruption:

  • Encourage effective implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention as well as increase adherence to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention,
  • Address the demand side of bribery,
  • Recognize compliance efforts and self-reporting from companies.

BIAC calls for a comprehensive OECD anticorruption strategy which benefits from the OECD’s strong capacity to work in a cross-cutting manner and with the private sector as a key partner.

The full BIAC statement is available here.

Read more: Defending Investor Protections in Trade Agreements

USCIB Webinar Series: Bretton Woods II, March 23

Published on March 10, 2016

Globe with Money UnderneathUSCIB will host a webinor on Bretton Woods II, New America’s multi-stakeholder platform for reducing global volatility, which will take place Wednesday, March 23 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST. This will be the third webinar in the USCIB Corporate Responsibility series; please see below for further information on the series.

To register, please fill out the registration form here.

The non-partisan BWII, led by Tomicah Tilleman, is working with a large coalition of organizations – including the White House, the World Bank, McKinsey, Gates Foundation, and a range of long-term asset holders – to demonstrate that large long-term financial actors (institutional investors like pension funds and sovereign wealth funds) can significantly increase their long-term returns by dedicating a percentage of their holdings to investments that address root causes of volatility, i.e. poverty, corruption, poor governance and the lack of rule of law. Such directed investments can also improve investment climates in countries throughout the world in ways that have a multiplying effect for multinational enterprises. BWII also presents an opportunity for companies with unique competencies to lend their talents to this important endeavor.

Featured speaker

Tomicah Tillemann is a leader in the fields of social impact, civic innovation, and diplomacy. He currently serves as Senior Fellow and Director of New America’s Bretton Woods II.

Between 2010 and 2014, Tillemann served under Hillary Clinton and John Kerry as the Secretary of State’s Senior Advisor for Civil Society and Emerging Democracies. Tillemann led a team of experts that operated like venture capitalists in translating promising ideas and technologies into successful foreign policy. He also established and chaired the State Department’s Global Philanthropy Working Group and the State Department’s Federal Advisory Committee on civil society.

Tillemann joined the State Department in 2009 as Secretary Clinton’s speechwriter and collaborated with her on over 200 speeches. Previously, he spent four years on the professional staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as an advisor to Chairmen Joe Biden and John Kerry. Tillemann’s other professional experience includes work with the White House, five U.S. Senate and Congressional campaigns, Reuters New Media, and the World Bank.

Tillemann is a co-holder of four patents on advanced clean technologies and a co-founder of IRIS Engines. He serves on the Advisory Board of BitFury, the world’s largest provider of blockchain infrastructure, and has helped launch and lead numerous civil society organizations and foundations. He received his B.A. magna cum laude from Yale University and holds a Ph.D. with distinction from the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University (SAIS). He has lectured at Yale and Princeton and testified repeatedly before Congress. He is a frequent guest on the BBC, NPR, and other news outlets.

IOE Celebrates International Women’s Day

Published on March 8, 2016

Women_lawInternational Women’s Day celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. As employers strive to advance women’s empowerment, they must also identify current and long-standing barriers to women’s economic opportunities in their countries. Removing legal barriers to women’s advancement is a policy priority for the business community, as full female empowerment would unlock the full potential of a country’s workforce.

Public policy should be the result of an active dialogue and engagement between the public and private sectors, as well as with other stakeholders to deliver policies that align with and support efforts by business to advance women’s economic opportunities.

The International Organization of Employers (IOE) celebrated International Women’s Day in a constructive spirit by organizing a webinar on promoting economic opportunities for women around the world. The IOE and its members stand ready to collaborate in advancing gender diversity and supporting the economic dividend this creates for women, families, companies and society.

During the webinar, Augusto Lopez-Claros, director of global indicators group at the World Bank, presented the findings of a 2016 World Bank report on “Women, Business, and the Law,” which examines laws and regulations affecting women’s prospects as entrepreneurs and employees across 173 economies. The report’s quantitative indicators are intended to inform policy discussions on how to remove legal restrictions on women and promote research on how to improve women’s economic inclusion.

The report will be a useful tool for governments seeking to revise existing laws that are discriminatory against women and improve the circumstances surrounding women as economic actors, from better childcare and family support to greater workplace and labor market flexibility.

 

BIAC Secretary General Appointed Treasurer of the Global Apprenticeships Network

Published on March 7, 2016

worker_femaleThe secretary general of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD, Bernhard Welschke, was appointed treasurer of the Global Apprenticeships Network (GAN) for a term of two-and-a-half years. The GAN is the global coalition of leading companies committed to tackle youth unemployment and skills mismatch by investing in work-based training.

Welschke, who will guide the GAN Board in the financial administration and budget of the Secretariat, commented: “I am pleased and honored to serve as treasurer of GAN, as we all understand that employment opportunities for the young are key for the success of our economies and the future of our societies.”

Working with Alain Dehaze, CEO of the Adecco Group, as chair, Welschke will oversee the financial administration of a coalition that is extending its presence in several countries, including Turkey, Indonesia, Spain and Argentina and will guide its presence in several more countries over the next few years, leading up to its next stage of success.

BIAC to Hold Forum on Innovation in Health and Well-Being

Published on March 7, 2016

heart_cardio_resized_ssActive and healthy populations are the backbone of our economies. OECD countries are striving to develop more sustainable healthcare systems that harness innovation to achieve better health outcomes, greater productivity, and well-being. To show what the private sector is doing to address these obstacles, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD will hold a Forum on Innovation in Health and Well-Being on May 3-4, 2016 in Paris at the OECD Headquarters.

This two day event will feature interactive panel discussions on innovative on-the-ground projects and explore trailblazing solutions from BIAC’s global membership. In 2017, Health Ministers from OECD countries will meet to discuss the next generation of health reforms and provide future orientations for OECD work. Against this backdrop, the event will allow participants to exchange solutions and policy recommendations with high-level representatives from the business community, governments, and leading voices in the field. The discussions will also explore how healthy populations can be a strong pillar for increased economic productivity and societal well-being. Registration details and an agenda will be soon released.

USCIB Proud to Sponsor Global Partnerships Week 2016

Published on February 29, 2016

Business for 2030

New York, N.Y., March 1, 2016 – The United States Council for International Business is supporting next week’s Global Partnerships Week, an annual series of events in Washington, D.C. on public-private partnerships that for government, business and development professionals, organized by the U.S. Department of State, USAID and Concordia.

“Partnership among diverse stakeholders is essential to achieving the United Nation 2030 Development Agenda and many other shared objectives,” said USCIB Vice President Ariel Meyerstein. We are delighted to provide private-sector business support to this timely and informative series of events.”

USCIB will sponsor a breakout session during the week’s kick-off event on March 7, the Global Practitioners’ Forum as well as the event’s cocktail reception. The panel discussion will focus on “Making the Business Case with Social Metrics,” and will include representatives from USCIB member companies Citi, Microsoft and Nestle.

Global Partnerships Week brings together leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors working in diplomacy, development and peace-building to share best practices in the creation and implementation of cross-sector collaborations. This year’s keynote speakers include John Brennan, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Abigail Disney, filmmaker and philanthropist.

USCIB’s Business for 2030 web portal serves as a platform for companies and business organizations to showcase partnerships and other activities that advance the UN’s 2030 Development Agenda. Launched last year, the portal features examples of private-sector engagement with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the goal of stimulating more productive partnerships between the public and private sectors in support of the SDGs.

“In less than a year, Business for 2030 has grown into a vibrant, trusted and widely recognized platform for the development community,” said Meyerstein. “Thanks to strong support from our members and other stakeholders, we will be further growing the portal throughout 2016.”

USCIB serves as the voice of American business in the UN and other multilateral bodies, primarily through its role as the American affiliate of several global business groups, including the International Chamber of Commerce.

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. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
+1 917.420.0039, jhuneke@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s Corporate Responsibility Committee