Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs

Trends and Challenges Facing U.S. Business:

  • As company operations have diversified globally and views on the role of business in society evolves, there is a continuing need for evidence-based government policies that distinguish the complementary but distinct roles of governments and business.  The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are the global framework that clarify the duty of governments under international law to protect the human rights of their citizens, the responsibility of businesses to respect human rights in their operations, and the need for greater access to remedy for alleged victims of corporate-related human rights harms.
  • Complex supply chains pose risks for multinational corporations operating globally, through possible exposure to weak or lax enforcement of policies and laws meant to address unfair and unacceptable working conditions like forced labor and child labor. To address these decent work deficits meaningfully, a range of policy tools can be applied to both support and encourage governments to enact the rule of law in their own countries, ranging from targeted development assistance to labor-conditionality in trade preference programs and free trade agreements.
  • The United Nations 2030 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will re-frame corporate sustainability and touch the lives of people everywhere. The scale and ambition of the Agenda creates a tremendous opportunity for the private sector to demonstrate the central role it plays in sustainable development and human prosperity and to serve as an essential partner.

 

USCIB’s Response:

  • Advocate for policies that recognize the different roles of governments and business in ensuring respect for the rule of law and human rights. With the advent of the consensus around the three pillars of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which USCIB helped shape and which we endorse, we work to ensure that regulatory approaches remain consistent with the established consensus on the balance between the State duty to protect and the corporate responsibility to respect human rights.
  • Help members promote American business leadership in global policy debates by tracking emerging trends in regulatory and civil society expectations, informing members of key developments, and channeling member feedback directly in our engagements with the U.S. Administration and international organizations, including as the U.S. business representative within the UN, International Labor Organization (ILO) and OECD. In doing so, we communicate our members’ consensus views on international labor standards, civil society initiatives and macroeconomic labor market policies.
  • Advocate for the inclusion of the business community in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global, national and local levels and promote USCIB members’ contributions to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through advocacy platforms, such as Business for 2030, and leveraging exposure through leading conferences and events around UN policy meetings.

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

News Stories

USCIB Welcomes Release of the US National Action Plan on Responsible Business Conduct  (3/25/2024) - USCIB welcomes the release of the U.S. National Action Plan on Responsible Business Conduct (NAP). USCIB also encourages other governments…
USCIB Celebrates International Women’s Day and Joins UN in Calling for Continued Investment in Women  (3/8/2024) - New York, NY, March 8, 2024 — The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) celebrates International Women’s Day. USCIB also…

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Press Releases

USCIB Supports First-Ever Multilateral Agreement on “Living Wage” (2/27/2024) - New York, NY, February 27, 2024--This weekend, the International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN entity responsible for setting international labor…
Guy Ryder (UN) speaks at the USCIB High Level Roundtable during UNGA78 USCIB Publishes Reports with Business Recommendations to Help Scale UN SDGs (9/18/2023) - New York, N.Y., September 18, 2023 — With the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in full swing,…

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Chairs

David N. Barnes
Vice President, Global Workforce Policy
IBM Corporation

Tam Robert Nguyen
President, bechtel.org Impact Company
Bechtel Corporation

Vice Chairs

Ryan Larsen
Senior Director, International Labor Relations
Walmart Inc.

Melissa J. Kopolow 
Vice President, Sustainability Practice
Albright Stonebridge Group

Staff

Ewa Staworzynska
Director, Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs
212-703-5056 or at ewa@uscib.org

Jose Arroyo
Policy Manager, Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs
212-703-5083 or at jarroyo@uscib.org

Ronnie Goldberg
Senior Counsel
212-703-5057 or at rgoldberg@uscib.org

Tom Mackall
Senior Counsel and ILO Governing Body Member
tmackall@uscib.org

Environment

Committee Mission Statement:

USCIB’s Environment Committee is member-driven, benefitting from the involvement of member experts across a range of key sectors, business topics and responsibilities. The Committee emphasizes the economic, competitiveness, market access and employment benefits that are enabled by sound global environmental rules and international cooperation with U.S. Business, with dedication to achieve win-win outcomes and lasting impact.

USCIB’s Environment Committee represents U.S. Business in the global multilateral arena, providing multi-sectoral business solutions, views, expertise, and actions in international environmental policy deliberations.  As the premier representative of American business, USCIB is the only U.S. business group with Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), additionally, USCIB hold official observer status at the UNFCCC, the UN CBD and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Combining this unique access and convening power with its in-house policy expertise, USCIB’s Environment Committee is well-positioned to champion U.S. business interests in a wide range of international policy forums.

The Committee promotes appropriate environmental protection and energy security integrated with open trade, investment, and inclusive economic growth. USCIB calls for enabling frameworks for private sector investment, action, collaboration, and innovation as essential for environmental stewardship and good practice. In representing U.S. Business, USCIB pursues ongoing dialogue with UN officials and the Administration, as well as with other stakeholders.

 

 

 

Trends and Challenges in Environmental Policy Debates:

  • The Paris Agreement, the United Nations 2030 Development Agenda, and the UN Environment Program’s (UNEP) Environment Assembly are reshaping the rules for international commerce and will have a lasting regulatory and reputational impact for US business, affecting market access and investment. Emerging issues, including linkages between international health and environmental policy, have the potential to re-open established policies and practices and could lead to higher costs and other burdens.
  • Rights-based approaches to environmental matters will be part of a proposed Global Pact for Environment, to be launched by the UN and with a potentially broad scope of environmental issues within its mandate for negotiations ahead.
  • Business requires enabling frameworks for investment, action, collaboration and innovation when it comes to promoting environmental stewardship and good practice.

USCIB’s Response:

  • Advocate across multiple channels to establish a recognized business channel into the UNFCCC process, as well as to other UN forums tasked with environment and sustainable development policy. Intergovernmental environmental initiatives will not work if they don’t work with, and for, the private sector, especially since business is expected to support, finance and report on progress.
  • Argue for open markets for trade and investment and IPR protection as essential prerequisites to enable the private sector to provide the innovation, technology and finances needed for international cooperation on climate change and other transboundary environmental issues agreement.
  • Lead a campaign in DC and across multiple UN forums to make the case for inclusion of U.S. business positions and technical input relating to climate change and sustainable development discussions at the following forums:
    • At the UN, where we have official observer status at the UNFCCC, ECOSOC and UNEP
    • At the Major Economies Business Forum (BizMEF), where we are forging stronger links between the business communities of the major emitting countries
    • In Washington, where we are advocating directly to the U.S. government
    • OECD
    • Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

News Stories

USCIB Represents US Business at 6th Session of the UN Environment Assembly   (3/6/2024) - The 6th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) concluded on March 1 in Nairobi, Kenya. After extensive and,…
Vinblad Speaks on Business and Biodiversity at Columbia University   (2/12/2024) - USCIB Director for Environment and Sustainable Development Agnes Vinblad was invited to participate in an expert panel organized by the…

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Press Releases

Guy Ryder (UN) speaks at the USCIB High Level Roundtable during UNGA78 USCIB Publishes Reports with Business Recommendations to Help Scale UN SDGs (9/18/2023) - New York, N.Y., September 18, 2023 — With the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in full swing,…
USCIB Statement on Climate COP Outcomes and US Business (11/28/2022) - New York, N.Y., November 28, 2022—The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) sought an “Implementation Plus” approach in the…

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Op-Eds and Speeches

Op-Ed: Business Must Come Together to Respond to COVID-19 Now (3/30/2020) - Earlier this month, nearly 500 experts in public health, law and human rights wrote an open letter to U.S Vice…

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USCIB Calls for a Moonshot Mindset in the Business and Government Response to COVID-19 Virus (3/12/2020) - USCIB and Business Partners for Sustainable Development (BPSD) today called for a cooperative, unified, business and government response to the…

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Vice Chairs

Paul Hagen
Director
Beveridge & Diamond, PC

Catherine McKalip-Thompson
Manager of Sustainability, Infrastructure
Bechtel Corporation

Justin Perrettson
Head of Sustainability Partnerships, Scouting & Ventures
Novonesis

Staff

Agnes Vinblad
Director, Environment and Sustainable Development
212-703-5082 or avinblad@uscib.org

 

Taxation

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB’s Tax Committee is the most respected U.S. business association on international tax issues. USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in international markets that are important to American business.

Trends and Challenges Facing U.S. Business:

  • Multiple sets of inconsistent rules that drive up costs and result in double taxation
  • The mounting political pressure to move towards changing the taxation of the digitalized economy
  • Efforts to unfairly increase the tax burden on companies

USCIB’s Response:

  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad
  • Engage with the OECD on the development of international taxation principles
  • Proactively shape the development of the OECD’s guidance on the taxation of the digitalized economy by demonstrating to policymakers that unilateral action can result in double taxation, decreased trade, and reduced global growth
  • Actively monitor and contribute to the work of the UN Committee of Tax Experts to ensure its alignment with the work of the OECD Tax Committee and inform policymakers of their actions’ impact on investment
  • Support enactment of foreign tax simplification provisions in the IRC that would significantly reduce the burden of complexity for U.S. companies and enhance their international competitiveness
  • Host an annual conference in Washington, DC that provides a unique opportunity for the U.S. business community to interact with key representatives from the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration (“CTPA”).

USCIB on LinkedIn

Recent Accomplishments:

News Stories

Rick Minor Testifies at House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax (3/11/2024) - USCIB’s Tax Counsel Rick Minor testified on March 7 at the Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Ways &…

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USCIB in the News: Bloomberg, Tax Notes Quote Rick Minor on New OECD Report on Amount B (2/22/2024) - SVP Rick Minor was quoted in both Bloomberg and Tax Notes this week following the February 19 release of the…

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Chair

John A. Stowell
Head of Global Tax and International Financial Reporting
The Walt Disney Company

Vice Chairs

Jocelyn Krabbenschmidt
International Tax Director
Apple Inc.

Carolina Perez-Lopez
VP Global Tax Planning and Tax Counsel
Johnson & Johnson

Tom Roesser
Senior Director, Tax Affairs
Microsoft Corporation

Vice Chairs

Erik Rosenfeld
VP Taxes, North America
Procter & Gamble

Daniel Smith
Director, International Tax Planning & Policy
Google Inc.

Lennaert ten Cate
SVP Tax
PepsiCo Inc.

Wendy Unglaub
VP, Chief Tax Officer, and Principal Tax Counsel
General Mills

Vice Chairs

Jason Weinstein
Vice President, Tax, North America
Amazon

Chad J. Withers
Chief Tax Officer
Caterpillar Inc.

USCIB Leadership

Rick Minor
Vice President and International Tax Counsel
202-682-7376 or rminor@uscib.org

Subcommittees

Transfer Pricing Subcommittee

VAT Subcommittee

Working Groups

EU Tax Working Group

Arbitration

USCIB Value Add

  • When commercial disputes arise, the dispute resolution services of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) can be relied upon to resolve them efficiently and economically.
  • Working with ICC Conferences or SICANA, USCIB’s Arbitration Committee assists in organizing conferences, seminars and corporate roundtables nationwide to educate the public about ICC’s different dispute resolution services.
  • Meet with officials from countries around the world to discuss the ICC’s arbitration system and other dispute resolution services.
  • Identify opportunities for ICC arbitration and/or ADR to be designated as a means of dispute resolution for domain name and other e-commerce disputes and in multilateral and regional instruments, such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and BITs.
  • Work with the U.S. Department of Commerce to distribute information on the ICC Court to commercial offices in U.S. embassies and consulates.

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • Through its affiliation with ICC, USCIB’s Arbitration Committee serves as the primary contact point in the United States for information about the ICC International Court of Arbitration® (the ICC Court) and ICC’s wide range of dispute resolution services.
  • USCIB serves as a contact point for the ICC Court in the United States, nominates Americans to serve as members of the ICC Court and as ICC arbitrators, mediators and experts and acts as a referral source for parties seeking these neutrals or counsel in ICC proceedings.
  • USCIB participates in and nominates its members to serve on the ICC Arbitration Commission and its numerous Task Forces, such as the task forces on Drafting Arbitral Awards, Arbitrating Competition Law Issues, IT in Arbitration, Guidelines for ICC Expertise Proceedings, Criminal Law and Arbitration, Reducing Time and Costs in Complex Arbitration, European Contract Law, and “Amiable Composition and ex aequo et bono” to name a few.
  • Co-sponsor international dispute resolution seminars with international institutions, bar associations, corporate counsel organizations, and potential users of arbitration and other forms of ADR.

USCIB on LinkedIn

For more information, please visit our Dispute Resolution page

Click Here

News Stories

USCIB Invited to Participate in Review of Investment Contracts at UNIDROIT (7/19/2023) - USCIB has been invited to participate in a new workstream to develop guidance for modernization and standardization of international investment…

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Op-Eds and Speeches

USCIB Op-Ed: Supreme Court Limits Discovery in International Commercial Arbitrations (8/10/2022) - Grant Hanessian, former chair of the USCIB Arbitration Committee, shares an opinion piece following the Supreme Court’s decision to limit…

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Chair

Peter J.W. Sherwin
Partner
Proskauer

Staff

Nancy Thevenin
General Counsel
212-703-5047 or nthevenin@uscib.org

Tatianna Sample
Senior Administrative Assistant, Claims
tsample@uscib.org

Subcommittees

Florida and U.S. Caribbean
Mid-Atlantic
Midwest
Northeast
Northwest

Subcommittees

Rocky Mountain
Southeast
Southwest
Southern

Subcommittees

Academics
Amicus
Corporate Counsel
Expatriate

Subcommittees

Sole Practitioners
Transactional Lawyers
Task Force on Diversity Equity and Inclusion

Click here for a full list of USCIB Arbitration Committee officers

 

Intellectual Property

Trends and Challenges Facing U.S. Business:

  • Intellectual property is one of the central public policy pillars for the rapidly changing knowledge-based 21st century economy
  • Intellectual property rights provide an increasingly critical legal and policy toolkit for spurring innovation, stimulating the investments needed to develop and market new innovations, creating jobs and disseminating technology and knowledge in socially beneficial ways
L-R: John Sandage (WIPO) and Paul Salmon (USPTO) at the October 18 launch of USCIB’s Intellectual Property and Innovation Committee

USCIB’s Response:

  • Promote strong global rules to protect U.S. intellectual property
  • Advocate for IP language in trade agreements that establishes a robust and effective intellectual property framework to promote innovation
  • Protect from disclosure commercially sensitive and propriety information and documents required by governments under law or regulation

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

News Stories

USCIB Joined Multi-Association Letter Opposing Expansion of WTO TRIPS Waiver  - USCIB co-signed a multi-association letter to the Biden Administration at the end of February strongly opposing the proposed expansion of…
The 13th WTO Ministerial Conference Falls Short But Delivers Some Wins for Industry - Renewal of e-commerce moratorium and intellectual property rights secured New York, N.Y., March 04, 2024—The United States Council for International…

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Press Releases

The 13th WTO Ministerial Conference Falls Short But Delivers Some Wins for Industry (3/5/2024) - Renewal of e-commerce moratorium and intellectual property rights secured New York, N.Y., March 04, 2024—The United States Council for International…
Temperatures Soared in Geneva and So Did the WTO! (6/17/2022) - Washington D.C., June 17, 2022—Despite a shaky start, the WTO negotiators delivered a historic trade deal this morning. After hours…

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Chair

Vacant

Staff

Brian Lowry
Senior Counsel
202-617-3159 or blowry@uscib.org

Staff

Ashley Harrington
Policy and Program Assistant
202-682-5861 or aharrington@uscib.org

 

APEC Working Group

Trends and Challenges Companies Face in the Asia Pacific region:

  • By 2030, two-thirds of all middle-class consumers will be in Asia, making this region a priority for U.S. companies to gain open and fair access to markets in the Asia-Pacific.
  • See here for our 2024 APEC Priority Issues and Recommendations Paper.
  • Comprising of 21 member economies, which account for approximately 40 percent of the world’s population and over 50 percent of world’s GDP and half of the world’s trade, APEC is the top economic forum in the region that actively encourages economic growth, regional cooperation and trade and investment.

USCIB’s Response:

  • Supports members’ interests within APEC and welcomes committed partnerships that APEC has established with the private sector to engage with participatory economies in addressing the complex economic issues that face the region.
  • Works through APEC to maintain connections with business and governments in the region to pursue initiatives that can improve market access and greater regulatory compatibility for our members.
  • Advocates for policies which encourage APEC economies to maintain an open trade and investment environment and eliminate non-tariff barriers across borders.
  • Collaborates with other USCIB committees on areas of USCIB priority and expertise within APEC, including chemicals, e-commerce, customs, marketing and advertising and global value chains.
  • Convenes issue-specific events and meetings with high-level government officials to discuss member priorities and APEC meetings and outcomes.
  • Facilitates business input into APEC through four main channels: U.S. APEC Business Coalition, APEC Business Advisory Council (through the National Center for APEC — NCAPEC), International Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Government.

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business.
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

Positions and Statements

USCIB Issues 2024 Priorities and Recommendations for APEC (2/29/2024) - USCIB has issued this year’s priorities and recommendations that USCIB and its members would like to see advanced in the…
USCIB Supports Strengthening Trade, Investment, Economic Ties in Indo-Pacific (2/23/2022) - USCIB was among a dozen other trade associations in submitting a letter to the Biden Administration welcoming the launch of…

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News Stories

USCIB Issues 2024 Priorities and Recommendations for APEC (2/29/2024) - USCIB has issued this year’s priorities and recommendations that USCIB and its members would like to see advanced in the…
USCIB Welcomes Korean Business Colleagues for Discussion on ILO, Labor and Trade issues (4/13/2022) - Kyung Shik Sohn, chairman of CJ Group and of the Korea Enterprises Federation-FEK (and also Honorary Chairman of the Korean…

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Press Releases

USCIB Announces New Policy Leadership (2/3/2021) - Brian Lowry New York, N.Y., February 01, 2021: The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) announced that Brian Lowry,…

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USCIB Commends Phase 1 China Deal, Urges Further Negotiations (1/15/2020) - China continues to be an important market for U.S. business, and we recognize the progress on food and agricultural export…

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Staff

Christopher Olsen
Policy Manager, Regulation and Trade
202-617-3156 or colsen@uscib.org

Staff

Ashley Harrington
Policy and Program Assistant
202-682-5861 or aharrington@uscib.org

 

Climate Change & Energy

Trends and Challenges Facing U.S. Business:

  • The Paris Climate Agreement builds on UN member countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions, or pledges, in which nearly all countries have committed to lowering greenhouse gas emissions along with other steps in coming years, looking ahead to 2030. However, current national pledges will not deliver necessary reductions to limit anticipated climate change, and pressure is mounting on all countries to take more ambitious action and mobilize public and private resources. In this connection, the right frameworks for transparency to ensure countries are taking the actions pledged will be critical.
  • While business action and technical knowledge is more important than ever, some governments have called for limiting or banning business involvement in the UN climate deliberations. In the absence of a recognized channel for business expertise and engagement in this complex UN structure, neither countries nor the global community will be able to catalyze the needed actions, investments and innovations in the absence of enhanced substantive and technical involvement of business.
  • The Paris Agreement impacts global markets and, subsequently U.S. business, including emissions trading and carbon pricing, trade measures and barriers as result of the “unlevel” playing field resulting from diverse national pledges.
  • US companies continue to face uncertainty and challenges in terms of costs and security of energy access and mix; the OECD and IEA continue to provide analysis and scenarios relating to expected and needed energy infrastructure investment.

 

USCIB’s Response:

  • Encourage the US to stay actively involved in the UN climate treaty, and to remain in the Paris Agreement, to defend and advance US economic interests, and to fight against proposals that would undermine US competitiveness, or block business involvement in the UNFCCC.
  • Seek opportunities to design international climate cooperation that works with markets and business to deploy investment and innovation and to encourage companies in all sectors to integrate climate mitigation into their activities, supply and value chains.
  • Work with members to dialogue with foreign governments and UN officials on the private sector’s expertise in measuring, reporting and verification—essential to assess countries’ comparative efforts on climate change policy.
  • Advocates for appropriate regulatory frameworks to protect investments in green technology and deploy technology through trade and commercial transactions.
  • Advocate that UN negotiations must not give rise to barriers to trade and investment or overlook the role financial institutions play in the UN’s efforts to mobilize funds for climate action. In fact, trade encourages climate-friendly investments and broad dissemination of cleaner technologies and energy sources.
  • Highlight and communicate U.S. business expertise and views on more accessible, affordable and cleaner energy systems in the context of environmental risks, climate change considerations, economic growth and free and open markets in international policy deliberations.
  • Promote global energy systems that allow U.S. companies to compete and flourish, to develop and disseminate more sustainable and efficient energy systems and technologies and to manage and improve energy use, conservation and environmental/social impacts, in line with SDG7.
  • Encourage integration of international energy policy issues across other policy areas: promoting enabling frameworks to encourage investment and innovation while promoting more sustainable and environmentally friendly development and commercial activity.
  • Carbon pricing is an important, but not the only, market-based climate policy tool. Countries have unique economic and energy circumstances and goals, so any such pricing at the international level needs to reflect those realities.

 

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

News Stories

The 13th WTO Ministerial Conference Falls Short But Delivers Some Wins for Industry (3/5/2024) - Renewal of e-commerce moratorium and intellectual property rights secured New York, N.Y., March 04, 2024—The United States Council for International…
USCIB Represents U.S. Business at UN Meetings on Climate (COP28) (12/21/2023) - The 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) was gaveled to a close…

Read More

Op-Eds and Speeches

Op-Ed: Business Must Come Together to Respond to COVID-19 Now (3/30/2020) - Earlier this month, nearly 500 experts in public health, law and human rights wrote an open letter to U.S Vice…
USCIB Calls for a Moonshot Mindset in the Business and Government Response to COVID-19 Virus (3/12/2020) - USCIB and Business Partners for Sustainable Development (BPSD) today called for a cooperative, unified, business and government response to the…

Read More

Vice Chairs

Paul Hagen
Director
Beveridge & Diamond, PC

Catherine McKalip-Thompson
Manager of Sustainability
Bechtel Corporation

Justin Perrettson
Head of Sustainability Partnerships, Scouting & Ventures
Novonesis

Staff

Agnes Vinblad
Director, Environment and Sustainable Development
212-703-5082 or avinblad@uscib.org

 

Financial Services

Trends and Challenges for the Financial Services Sector:

  • Actions by governments and central banks following the financial crisis to reduce interest rates, help recapitalize major banks, and get credit flowing more normally were necessary steps toward restoring confidence in the banking system, although they have not yet produced their full effect.
  • Financial markets need stability and an effective regulatory and supervisory framework.

USCIB’s Response:

  • Develop recommendations for governments and international organizations on international economic and financial policy, investment, and debt, U.S. monetary and exchange rate policies, and structural issues
  • Provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas on U.S. and international economic policy issues.
  • Support WTO negotiations that include all aspects of financial services, emphasizing transparency of existing rules, regulatory reform and liberalization of barriers.
  • Avoid financial and investment protectionism.
  • Maximize ICC contributions promoting WTO financial services liberalization, including implementation of an active program informing governments of ICC positions on liberalization of financial services and insurance.

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

Positions and Statements

Robinson Shares US Perspective During Virtual Briefing on Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 With ILO Director General (5/14/2020) - USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson joined International Organization of Employers (IOE) members from around the world in a virtual…
USCIB Congratulates Colombia on Formally Becoming OECD Member (4/30/2020) - The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced today that Colombia has formally become an OECD Member as of…

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News Stories

USCIB Brings Business Recommendations to the Annual UN Partnership Forum  (2/2/2023) - The United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) hosted the annual Partnership Forum at UN headquarters in New York on…
USCIB Leads in Preparations for Upcoming China Meetings at OECD (4/27/2021) - USCIB members and staff played major roles in the April 23 China Expert Group’s preliminary meeting to preview and discuss…

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Press Releases

USCIB Commends Phase 1 China Deal, Urges Further Negotiations (1/15/2020) - China continues to be an important market for U.S. business, and we recognize the progress on food and agricultural export…

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Donnelly Joins USCIB as Vice President of Investment and Financial Services (9/7/2011) - New York, N.Y., September 7, 2011 – Shaun Donnelly, a career diplomat who has held several senior executive branch posts,…

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Staff

Alice Slayton Clark
VP, International Investment and Trade Policy
asclark@uscib.org

Shaun Donnelly
Senior Advisor
sdonnelly@uscib.org

Staff

Christopher Olsen
Policy Manager, Regulation and Trade
202-617-3156 or colsen@uscib.org

 

Banking

Trends and Challenges Facing the Banking Sector:

  • The banking sector requires standardization of international banking and commercial practice procedures to obtain increased efficiency and to ensure that parties to transactions are operating under the same assumptions to increase the likelihood of payment.
  • The banking sector needs decreased costs to international trade transactions.
  • Business needs a global set of forfeiting rules for both primary and secondary markets.

USCIB’s Response:

  • Promote standardization of international banking and commercial practices, which helps policymakers and standard-setters put programs and regulations in place that enhance business practices around the world.
  • USCIB, through the ICC Banking Commission, aims to overhaul the rules in different fields, such as international standard banking practice and forfeiting, as well as in traditional trade services, open account and supply chain financing, global regulation, legal and compliance issues and risk and asset management.
  • Ensure members have greater clarity and understanding of current practices by promoting the adoption and integration of the ICC’s Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees (URDG), as well as the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP 600).
  • Facilitates the rapid settlement of disputes arising in banking by working through ICC to administer the ICC Rules for Documentary Instruments Dispute Resolution Expertise.
  • Responds to member inquiries regarding suspected cases of attempted financial fraud using falsified or illegitimate financial instruments or banking practices.

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

Positions and Statements

USCIB Gives Feedback on OECD New Approach to Economic Challenges Project (1/22/2015) - Authors of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s “New Approach to Economic Challenges” report met with USCIB and member…
Global Trade Set to Benefit From ICC Trade Register Report (6/19/2014) - It has long been anecdotally known that trade finance is a low risk for lenders. That claim now has a…

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News Stories

USCIB Leads in Preparations for Upcoming China Meetings at OECD (4/27/2021) - USCIB members and staff played major roles in the April 23 China Expert Group’s preliminary meeting to preview and discuss…
USCIB Banking Committee Welcomes New Chair: Bank of America’s Geoff Brady (11/11/2020) - USCIB is pleased to announce the appointment of USCIB member Geoff Brady of Bank of America as new chair of…

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Press Releases

Now Available in USCIB International Bookstore: Uniform Rules for Bank Payment Obligations (6/13/2013) - New York, N.Y., June 13, 2013 – Uniform Rules for Bank Payment Obligations (BPOs), a 21st-century standard in supply-chain finance…
New Report Proves Trade Finance Is Low-Risk, Asks Regulators and G20 to Unlock Trade (10/26/2011) - Beijing and New York, N.Y., October 26, 2011 –The rules set by bank regulators impose unwarranted capital requirements that choke…

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Op-Eds and Speeches

SMEs Face Significant Financing Gap (7/22/2013) - Speaking at the World Trade Organization’s annual “aid-for-trade” review earlier this month, a representative of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)…
The Future of Trade Finance: Outlook 2011 (5/23/2011) - As 2009 ended, we viewed the global economy – and its lifeblood, trade – through the prism of cautious optimism.…

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Chair

Geoff Brady
Head of Global Trade and Supply Chain Finance
Bank of America

Staff

Christopher Olsen
Policy Manager, Regulation and Trade
202-617-3156 or colsen@uscib.org

 

 

Marketing and Advertising

Trends and Challenges Facing Advertisers:

  • New regulations and policies at the national and global levels that threaten to restrict some types of advertising such as food and beverage marketing, social media, and marketing to children
  • New opportunities to extend self-regulation of marketing and advertising in key countries and regions

 

USCIB’s Response:

  • Advocate for multi-stakeholder initiatives and the central role of science- and evidence-based data in developing policy
  • Press for policies at the OECD that create the right incentives and collaborative environments to drive investment in innovation and technology
  • Advance voluntary consumer initiatives, responsible marketing, and healthy lifestyles

Magnifying Your Voice with USCIB:

  • USCIB is the only U.S. business association formally affiliated with the world’s three largest business organizations where we work with business leaders across the globe to extend our reach to influence policymakers in key international markets to American business
  • Build consensus with like-minded industry peers and participate in off-the-record briefings with policymakers both home and abroad.

USCIB on LinkedIn

Positions and Statements

USCIB Congratulates Colombia on Formally Becoming OECD Member (4/30/2020) - The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced today that Colombia has formally become an OECD Member as of…
ICC Statement on Code Interpretation/Reference Guide on Advertising to Children (12/15/2016) - The Reference Guide on Advertising to Children can be found here.  ICC Statement on Code Interpretation The International Chamber of Commerce Consolidated…

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News Stories

ICC Statement on Using AI in Advertising and Marketing Communications (3/27/2024) - The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) released a statement on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advertising and marketing…
USCIB Members Play Active Role on OECD’s Illicit Trade During COVID Panel (4/30/2020) - The OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade hosted a webinar on April 23—"Illicit Trade at the Time of Crisis.”…

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Press Releases

New Marketing Code Raises Consumer Protection Standards Around the World (9/15/2011) - New York, N.Y., September 15, 2011 –New protection for Internet users – along with detailed standards for marketers selling to…

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Getting the Green Message Right: A New Framework for Environmental Marketing (1/26/2010) - New York, N.Y., January 26, 2010 –  As more consumers consider environmental features important in their purchasing decisions, businesses have…

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Chair

Brent Sanders
Associate General Counsel
Microsoft Corporation

Vice Chair

Carla Michelotti
Marketing Consultant & International Advertising Association Vice President

Staff

Kira Yevtukhova 
Acting Director of Communications
202-617-3160 or kyevtukhova@uscib.org