Policy Areas Archives

USCIB Urges Business Access in Comments to UNFCCC

Published on March 3, 2017

As uncertainty in U.S. participation and leadership in UN climate negotiations and the Paris Climate Agreement continues, USCIB and its global network are pushing to ensure that business has a voice in the global climate policy process.

USCIB, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Major Economies Business Forum (BizMEF) recently submitted coordinated comments to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ahead of its Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46) meeting, to take place in Bonn, Germany on May 8-18, 2017. The USCIB, ICC and BizMEF submissions all make the case for enhancing engagement of Non-Party Actors (NSAs), particularly the private sector, in order to strengthen Paris Agreement implementation. USCIB’s Norine Kennedy, Vice President for Strategic International Engagement, Energy and Environment will attend the Bonn meetings, along with USCIB members from Monsanto and Novozymes.

In preparing the comments Kennedy noted, “As it stands today, the UNFCCC institutional infrastructure does not adequately reflect the role of the private sector and therefore must be updated and expanded to recognize and mobilize business engagement as part of global efforts to deliver on the Paris Agreement. In our view, the May Workshop during SBI46 on enhancing NSA engagement could provide valuable ideas to begin to build this vital institutional infrastructure for implementation of the Agreement.”

Governments have recognized the major contribution of the private sector to achieving the Paris Agreement, its entry into force and other follow-up activities.  As a long-time observer organization representing American business in the UNFCCC since 1993, USCIB has consistently sought to extend existing opportunities to participate in the international climate processes.  USCIB’s advocacy has focused on broadening and improving existing options to create a more comprehensive, recognized channel for business engagement to strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement and ensure the effectiveness and resilience of the UNFCCC.

In its comments, USCIB emphasized that enhancing business engagement requires innovative governance and partnership, and will be a prerequisite for successful and cost-effective implementation. Kennedy stressed that “the UNFCCC should adjust its means of working with business to a more collaborative and mainstreamed mode. This will require innovative leadership by policy-makers to engage the private sector in new ways.”

USCIB’s comments also included suggestions for the SBI workshop’s objectives, a long-term vision for business engagement in the UNFCC, and the role of business in national pledges under the Paris Agreement, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The full submission can be accessed here.

 

OECD Holds Workshop to Measure Business Impact on Well-Being

Published on March 3, 2017

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) organized a workshop on measuring business impacts on people’s well-being in Paris on February 23-24. The workshop is part of the OECD’s Better Life Initiative for which the OECD developed a series of indicators enabling governments to design policies for improving well-being in areas including income, health, education, security and environment. An increasing number of actors are looking at how companies impact well-being, but lack specific guidance on how to accurately measure these impacts. Statistical evidence on business’ contribution to well-being is scattered and firms’ performances on environmental, social and governance as well as responsible business conduct issues remain hard to benchmark.

Building on in-house knowledge and experience in measuring well-being and responsible business conduct, the OECD, in collaboration with Fordham University, the Society and Organization Center of HEC Paris and the Humanistic Management Network, organized a workshop to discuss foundations measuring business impacts’ on well-being and explored interest in creating a consistent system of indicators based on existing corporate responsibility metrics, corporate practices and OECD’s experience in measuring well-being.

The workshop emphasized the importance of using coordinated information systems for different actors, such as businesses, NGOs and governments, to encourage them to adopt a common channel for promoting well‑being in the broad sense. It will bring together researchers, experts, business executives and a wide range of actors on the ground.

Additional information on the event is available on the OECD’s website. Official notes from the sessions are available here.

OECD’s Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum

Published on March 3, 2017

Compass direction pointing towards IntegrityThe Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is organizing a Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum on March 30-31 in Paris, which will focus on integrity and anti-corruption. The Forum aims to bring together a diverse array of stakeholders from policy communities, the private sector, civil society and academia to discuss topics such as reducing the inequality gap, stimulating fair competition and economic growth as well as shaping a level playing field for business.

The Forum will also feature presentations from academia connecting academic insights and evidence with policy-making and will highlight innovative research on integrity, anti-corruption and trade, gender and corruption and inclusive growth. The agenda for the meeting is available here. Registration is now open.

David Redl to Speak at Conference on Fostering Digital Transformation: The OECD’s Role

Published on February 24, 2017

David Redl, chief counsel for communications and technology for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, will give the keynote address at USCIB’s timely conference, Fostering Digital Transformation: The OECD’s Role,”  on March 8 in Washington, D.C. The conference is organized by The USCIB Foundation, the educational arm of the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), in partnership with Business at the OECD (BIAC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD). The conference will explore ways that policy makers and the business community work together to ensure that new technologies and digital applications can lead to a more prosperous, productive, inclusive and socially beneficial world, while considering what lessons can be learned from recent discussions and related work within the 35-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

“This will be an important forum for dialogue among technologists and policy makers to help us navigate toward a more robust, secure, resilient and inclusive digital economy,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson. “Following last year’s pivotal OECD Ministerial in Cancun, which recognized the digital economy as a powerful catalyst for innovation, growth and overall prosperity, the focus will be on moving forward the OECD’s ambitious agenda. We will explore how broad-ranging OECD policy frameworks can help to address new challenges posed by changing global policy dynamics.”

Topics for discussion include:

  • The Digital Economy and Information Society of the Future
  • Realizing the Global Commercial Benefits and Corporate Societal Responsibilities of Digitalization
  • Enhancing Trust in the Digitally Connected Ecosystem

Other confirmed speakers for the event include:

  • Douglas Frantz, deputy secretary general of the OECD
  • Andrew Wyckoff, director of the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation
  • Anne Carblanc, head of the OECD Digital Economy Policy Division
  • Eric Loeb, senior vice president of international external and regulatory affairs, AT&T
  • Joseph Alhadeff, vice president of global public policy, Oracle Corp.

The conference, which is co-organized by the OECD and Business at OECD (BIAC), will take place at the Microsoft Innovation & Policy Center (901 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C.). Registration and additional information are available on the conference website. Event sponsors and partners include AT&T, Google, Microsoft, Verizon and the Internet Association. Inside Cybersecurity is a media partner.

USCIB Welcomes Entry Into Force of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

Published on February 22, 2017

Harbor_tradeLandmark pact will reduce customs barriers and costs for U.S. exporters

New York, N.Y., February 22, 2017 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) applauded the entry into force today of the landmark World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which will reduce the costs of trading across borders and lead to increased U.S. and foreign exports and jobs. The TFA, approved at the WTO’s 2014 ministerial in Bali, Indonesia, provides enforceable government commitments, which will reduce red tape at the borders, speed movement of goods internationally, reduce costs, increase exports and create jobs.

The WTO has 164 member countries, and its rules require two-thirds of its members to ratify and pass laws making necessary changes in their customs procedures in order for the TFA to go into effect. Today, Chad, Jordan, Oman and Rwanda  submitted their ratification notices to the WTO, achieving the two-thirds threshold.

USCIB Chairman Terry McGraw, chairman emeritus of S&P Global, stated: “It is so important to the American and global economy that these 100-plus countries have committed to streamlining their customs procedures to speed the movement of products and reduce their costs.  We commend WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo for his tireless efforts to make his happen.”

McGraw, who also serves as honorary chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world business organization, and chaired the President’s Advisory Committee on Trade Negotiations, has been a staunch advocate for the TFA and for multilateral trade liberalization in general.

“The TFA will provide a shot in the arm to U.S. exports and to the multilateral trading system,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson. “Studies estimate that, when implemented, the TFA will cut the average cost of exporting by some 14 percent, delivering a net gain of $1 trillion in global annual GDP and spurring the creation of more than 20 million new jobs for the global economy. What’s more, the TFA demonstrates the continued importance of the WTO and of multilateral efforts to liberalize cross-border trade and investment.”

In addition to promoting the benefits of the TFA, USCIB has worked to secure overseas ratification of the agreement through bilateral meetings with numerous governments. It has also done so via its role as U.S. affiliate of ICC, which mounted a global campaign to secure ratification of the TFA.

ICC Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said: “The entry into force of the TFA is a watershed moment for global trade. The reality today is that many small businesses find themselves unable to trade internationally due to complex customs requirements. By cutting unnecessary red tape at borders, the TFA will have a transformational effect on the ability of entrepreneurs in developing countries to access global markets.”

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, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043, jhuneke@uscib.org

BIAC Holds Annual Consultation With OECD Ambassadors

Published on February 21, 2017
OECD
BIAC Secretary General Bernhard Welschke and BIAC Chair Phil O’Reilly address Secretary General Angel Gurria and OECD Ambassadors

BIAC held its annual consultation with OECD Ambassadors last month, providing an opportunity for the business community to identify priorities for the OECD agenda that affect both the private sector and governments. Senior business leaders discussed the OECD Secretary General and Ambassadors timely challenges and ways forward in global markets. This annual consultation is part of BIAC’s active advocacy with top OECD officials and governments throughout the year.

The consultation focused on outlining appropriate macro-economic and regulatory policies to strengthen growth, defending and promoting trade and investment for competitiveness, addressing tax uncertainty to boost investment, seizing the benefits of innovation and the digital economy, strengthening human capital to build dynamic inclusive economies, and including business in development and a clean environment.

A full report from the consultations can be found here.

New OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Garment and Footwear Sector

Published on February 21, 2017

The OECD recently released new due diligence guidance for supply chains in the garment and footwear sector. The guide can be found here. The guide is the result of a multi-stakeholder process and aims to help companies identify and prevent potential negative impacts related to human rights, labor, the environment and corruption in garment and footwear supply chains worldwide. The guide is in line with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises – the broader code of conduct for business – are the oldest and most comprehensive set of recommendations for business, covering all areas of business ethics, human rights, labour rights, corruption, and environment degradation, among others. The guidelines were originally adopted in 1976 and have been updated on several occasions since then to ensure their continued relevance. The OECD has also developed tailored guidance to help enterprises build responsible supply chains in other sectors, specifically: extractives, minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, agriculture, and finance.

ICC’s Danilovich Writes in FT on Importance of Services to American Economy

Published on February 21, 2017

The Financial Times has published a letter to the editor from ICC Secretary General John Danilovich on the importance of services to the American economy. Danilovich, who has served as U.S. ambassador to Brazil and Costa Rica, writes that “tit-for-tat trade responses sparked by new border taxes could come at a considerable cost for the U.S. services sector– and the growing number of Americans whose livelihoods depend on it. When it comes to trade policy, nostalgia is no substitute for the realities of today’s global economy.”

To read Danilovich’s letter in the FT, please visit this link (subscriber log-in is required).

USCIB Urges Secretary Tillerson to Push for UN Accountability

Published on February 21, 2017

USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson issued a letter last week to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson outlining principles and priority areas for the Trump administration’s posture and involvement in international environmental policy and forums.

The letter recommends an assessment of U.S. engagement in the international environmental arena and proposes an ongoing dialogue with U.S. business groups familiar with those deliberations to inform the administration.

While a growing number of United Nations agencies are increasingly restricting the private sector and excluding business representatives from key meetings, USCIB’s statement urges the administration to insist that UN bodies conduct their work with transparency and accountability to economic stakeholders in the United States.

USCIB’s letter is timely given Tillerson’s first international trip this week as secretary of state to the Group of 20 (G20) meetings in Bonn, Germany. According to the Chicago Tribune, Secretary Tillerson will meet G20 envoys in Bonn to discuss the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and climate change.

USCIB Vice President for Strategic International Engagement, Energy and Environment Norine Kennedy commented on the importance of maintaining a strong U.S. presence, noting: “The proliferation of environmental and climate change policies on the global agenda demands that the administration remain an active member of the international environmental community to further and defend U.S. business and economic interests, while tackling climate change and other universal environmental challenges.”

USCIB’s Shaun Donnelly Educates US Government on BIAC-OECD

Published on February 16, 2017

Shaun DonnellyThe State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business (EB) Affairs organized a day-long training session February 15 for sixty U.S. Government officials from nearly twenty U.S. Government agencies on how to be an effective Delegate when representing the U.S. Government at OECD committee meetings and other sessions in Paris.  State invited USCIB Vice President Shaun Donnelly to represent business and broader “stakeholder” groups on a panel that also included representatives from OECD’s Washington Center as well as former OECD Secretariat and U.S. Mission staffers.

Shaun is a former U.S. Ambassador and senior economic policy official at State with long experience in a variety of OECD meetings.  He explained the role of the OECD’s three recognized “stakeholder” organizations, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC), Trade Union Advisory Council (TUAC), and OECD Watch representing civil society groups.

Focusing on BIAC, Shaun explained BIAC’s extensive efforts to provide constructive, real-time input from its international business members across the broad swath of OECD’s committee and working groups.  Shaun emphasized USCIBs role as “the single US business voice in the BIAC and OECD process” and reminded the staff from around the USG of USCIB’s ability to connect them with the U.S. private sector and help advance U.S. interests in the OECD.