Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs Archives

United Nations General Assembly Commemorates ILO Centennial

Published on April 16, 2019
L-R: Secretary General of IOE Roberto Suarez; IOE Vice-President to the ILO
Mthunzi Mdwaba; President of the International Organization of Employers Erol Kiresepi; USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson

As the International Labor Organization celebrates its one-hundredth anniversary this year, the United Nations commemorated this milestone at the UN General Assembly on April 10 under the theme “The Future of Work.” The commemorative plenary was attended by heads of state, ministers, heads of delegations from permanent missions to the UN, and representatives from the private sector, including USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. 

Opening statements were made by President of the 73rd Session of the General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Secretary General of the UN António Guterres, Director General of the International Labor Organization Guy Ryder, President of the International Organization of Employers (IOE) Erol Kiresepi, and others.

As IOE Vice President for North America, Robinson also took part in a luncheon, co-hosted by Espinosa Garcés and Ryder, to discuss progress, good practices, and lessons learned toward achieving the eight Sustainable Development Goal (decent work and economic growth). The luncheon provided an opportunity for participants to take stock of the progress in the implementation of sustainable development objectives in the area of promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. According to Robinson, the luncheon provided a terrific opportunity to support the ILO as an example of inclusive multilateralism embodied in its tripartite structure.

“We at USCIB are proud to celebrate the ILO’s centennial, alongside our partners in the Department of Labor, the AFL-CIO and the International Organization of Employers’ worldwide membership,” said Robinson.

USCIB Joins US Labor Department in Celebrating ILO’s 100 Years

Published on April 16, 2019
L-R: Ed Potter (USCIB); Cathy Feingold (AFL-CIO); Guy Ryder (ILO)

Ed Potter, who serves as Counsel for USCIB, took part in a high-profile discussion on April 12 hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The discussion was part of a broader set of meetings in 2019 celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The event last week, entitled “Shaping the World of Work: U.S. Engagement with the ILO,” focused on the instrumental role of U.S. Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins in leading the United States to join its first multilateral institution in 1934 – the ILO. 

The event also featured U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta, Director-General of the ILO Guy Ryder, Director of the International Department of the AFL-CIO Cathy Feingold, and author of “The Woman Behind the New Deal,” Kristin Downey. 

Reflecting on the role the ILO plays in the world, Secretary Acosta noted in particular the ILO’s standard setting role and its work to highlight and address unacceptable child and forced labor practices in a number of countries around the world. Such poor labor practices also unfairly disadvantage U.S. businesses that prioritize doing business the right way with appropriate labor practices. On this point, Secretary Acosta stated, “free trade needs to include fair trade, and that means certain levels of labor standards that are enforced across the board, maintained, and that really should be prerequisites.”

Panelists reflected not only on the ILO’s history and achievements, but also looked ahead towards the ILO’s next hundred years and the role the ILO can play in addressing future priorities. Reflecting on the ILO’s unique governance structure in which governments, employers and workers all must come together for consensus decision-making, Potter stressed, “You can not underestimate the strength of the tripartite system that holds the ship together.” In terms of key milestones from a U.S. employer’s perspective, Potter cited the ILO’s 1944 Declaration of Philadelphia and the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work as formative frameworks which are all the more relevant today – especially as the ILO looks towards its next century. 

This upcoming June, some 6,000 ILO tripartite constituents will come together again at the ILO International Labor Conference to negotiate, among other items, a new ILO declaration focusing in broad strokes on its next 100 years.

“USCIB will participate actively again, representing U.S. employers, constructively engaging, and playing a key role in these critical deliberations to steer the ILO “ship” towards the next century,” said Gabriella Rigg Herzog, who leads USCIB’s work on labor policy.

See below for the panel discussion:

At OECD Event, Business Encourages Girls to Dream Big

Published on April 16, 2019
L-R: Ronnie Goldberg (USCIB), Anna Blue (Girl Up), Rebecca Campbell (Disney), Irena Sodin (Slovenian mission to the OECD), Monika Queisser (OECD). Click on the image to view a video recap.

On April 9, at OECD headquarters in Paris, Business at OECD (BIAC) organized a conversation with The Walt Disney Company and leading advocates for diversity in the workplace on the importance of gender inclusion within the creative sector.

Rebecca Campbell, president of Disney’s Europe, Middle East and Africa operations, presented on the company’s efforts to re-imagine gender narratives through its storytelling and “Dream Big, Princess” initiative. Since 2017, Disney has collaborated on this initiative with Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s program to support leadership development of adolescent girls around the globe. Campbell said that some 40 percent of the directors of its upcoming film releases were women, and it was committed to bringing that number to parity with men − despite an industry-wide average of less than 5 percent for top-grossing films over the past ten years.

A panel discussion, moderated by USCIB Senior Counsel Ronnie Goldberg, highlighted progress, challenges and opportunities for stakeholders to harness creativity and innovation for the advancement of gender inclusion. Panelists included Anna Blue, co-executive director of Girl Up; Disney’s Campbell; Irena Sodin, Slovenia’s ambassador to the OECD; and Monika Queisser, senior counselor at the OECD’s Employment, Labor and Social Affairs Directorate.

The event featured robust Q&A from an audience that included daughters of many OECD employees. Other speakers included BIAC Secretary General Russel Mills; Andrew Haviland, charge d’affaires at the U.S. Mission to the OECD; and Virginie Delalande, a coach and speaker and the first deaf person to become a practicing lawyer in France.

Following the discussion, participants enjoyed a cocktail reception and tour of Disney’s Dream Big, Princess exhibition, featuring inspirational photography and video content of real-life women and girls across the globe dreaming big.

Click here to view a short video recap of the event.

USCIB Helps Promote New Center for Human Rights and Sport

Published on April 10, 2019
USCIB President and CEO Peter M Robinson

USCIB teamed up with the Institute for Human Rights and Business on April 9 to organize a full-day workshop to highlight the recently launched Center for Human Rights and Sport. The event raised awareness to U.S. companies of the role of the new center, the connection between sports and human rights, and ways companies can engage.

Over fifty participants contributed to the dialogue over the course of the day, as well as representatives from the U.S. Department of State, former Olympic athletes, and other stakeholders.

“Business has a key interests on the issue of sports and human rights,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson in his opening remarks. “Through sponsorship, through the building of infrastructure, through the production of equipment and by providing services, just to name a few, business is linked to the world of sports and sport events. As part of its responsibility under the UN Guiding Principles, business needs and wants to identify and mitigate possible adverse human rights impact. However, the challenges that companies face in the area of sports and human rights often are systemic issues to which systemic responses are required.”

USCIB members from Nike, Hilton and Bechtel served as panelists during sector-specific sessions on leveraging relationships and partnerships across supply chains to ensure accountability and compliance with human rights and labor standards.

In addition to partnerships, Bechtel’s Global Head of Sustainability and Vice Chair of USCIB’s Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs Committee Tam Nguyen noted the benefits of using data analytics, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to create predictions about forced labor and human rights violations and provided an example of an application of these new technologies in the construction sector.

The Center’s first CEO Mary Harvey outlined main takeaways in her wrap-up remarks, which included the challenge in re-examining what leverage means for companies, the power and potential of accountability and collective action, and appropriate and effective mechanisms for grievance and remedy in sport.

USCIB will continue to follow this topic closely. At the next USCIB-IOE-Coca-Cola Conference scheduled for September 12-13 in Atlanta, there will be a panel dedicated to this crucial topic. At the end of the year, USCIB will participate in the ILO’s Global Dialogue Forum on Sports and Decent Work.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the Center for Sport and Human Rights brings together a diverse set of stakeholders to work towards a world of sport that fully respects human rights by sharing knowledge, building capacity, and strengthening the accountability of all actors through collective action and promotion of the Sporting Chance Principles. In fulfilling this mandate, the Center is committed to being independent, principles-based, inclusive, diverse, collaborative, accessible and trusted.

USCIB Briefs Members on New Business and Society Initiatives 

Published on April 9, 2019
L-R: Tom Woods (Wilton Park Foundation) and Mike Michener (USCIB)

USCIB held a special briefing on April 8 in Washington, DC with leading members, USCIB staff and the U.S. Department of State focusing on how USCIB is responding to challenges in the multilateral system around business and society.

Over thirty participants attended the briefing, hosted by USCIB member Beveridge and Diamond, including Director of the Office of Economic and Development Affairs from the U.S. Department of State Margy Bond, President of Woods International and Chairman of the Wilton Park USA Foundation Tom Woods and USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. USCIB members in attendance included representatives from AT&T, Bayer, Cargill, Chevron, DHL Express, KPMG, McDonald’s and PepsiCo, among others.

Bond, who gave a keynote address, noted that USCIB members have been a driving force for constructive business engagement at the United Nations and emphasized that the U.S. government is focused on enhancing private sector involvement at and partnerships with the UN, which will not only help achieve global goals but also help promote growth and create jobs in the United States.

However, as business is expected to step up and provide the investment, innovation and capacity to scale solutions that can solve the world’s largest problems, USCIB members find themselves increasingly in the cross-hairs as anti-business sentiment continues to find traction among policymakers, NGOs and UN entities around the world.

“Our overriding concern is to promote trust and partnership between governments, international organizations and the private sector,” said Robinson. “All too often in recent years, we have seen the public and private sectors set against each other in international forums. We need to move beyond this, so that we can, together, tackle important global challenges like climate change, public health and nutrition, human rights and many others.”

With regards to trust, another value add to this meeting was an overview of the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer by Edelman Intelligence Managing Director  Kari Butcher. Butcher gave insight into the findings of this year’s report and how business can use the data in the report to move forward on solving today’s societal challenges.

Participants had the opportunity to discuss and learn about three new initiatives launched by the USCIB Foundation to respond to these challenges, as well as opportunities for greater engagement through USCIB. These new initiatives are designed to strengthen the pivotal role business plays in furtherance of the 2030 Agenda with regards to nutrition-related SDGs, inclusive engagement of business in key UN forums, and the private sector’s role as a trusted partner in meeting the challenges facing society.

Norine Kennedy, who leads USCIB’s international strategic engagement and USCIB’s All in Campaign emphasized that, “the private sector brings value to the United Nations system. Its success is our success.”

The initiatives that were presented to members include:

  • Together for Nutrition Principles– a joint project between The USCIB Foundation, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and the Wilton Park Foundation defining a set of principles for public-private sector engagement to advance the nutrition-related SDGs.
  • All In Campaign– an initiative bringing policymakers and global businesses together in key UN cities to begin a global conversation on opportunities for inclusive engagement with businesses from all industry sectors as essential to meeting the SDG goals and other 2015 outcomes.
  • Business in Society: A Crisis of Trust – a USCIB Foundation project that aims to better understand and influence attitudes and behaviors among policymakers through data, analysis and education to demonstrate that business can be profitable and still be trusted partners in meeting societal challenges.

Moving forward, all of the above will be highlighted in USCIB’s 2nd Annual Geneva Week May 6-10, the first All In Campaign Roundtable scheduled to take place in Geneva during Geneva Week, a planned event on the impact of business SDG partnerships on the margins of the High Level Political Forum in July in New York, as well as additional planned All In Campaign roundtables in cities around the world.  USCIB encourages members to participate and welcomes feedback.

At ILO, USCIB Advocates for Inclusive Workplace Protections

Published on March 22, 2019

USCIB Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs, Gabriella Rigg Herzog took part in informal consultations on March 14-15 at the International Labor Organization (ILO) on the proposed standard on violence and harassment in the workplace. Held in Geneva, the meeting was part of ongoing negotiations that may result in a new, legally binding labor standard on this important workplace issue.

The aim of the informal consultation was to identify potential areas of consensus, particularly with regard to the definition of violence and harassment, the persons covered under the standard, the scope of the “world of work” and the inclusion of a list of groups disproportionately affected by violence and harassment.

“While the discussions were informal, the group agreed to review the possible text revisions discussed and reflect upon them in the lead up to the final round of negotiations this June at the ILO’s 2019 International Labor Conference (ILC),” said Herzog.

According to Herzog, given that 2019 marks the centenary anniversary of the ILO’s founding, the stakes will be especially high for the ILO and its tripartite constituents—government, employers and workers—to try to find agreement on a text this June.

Reflecting on the negotiations to date, Herzog also noted, “We have an historic opportunity to combat violence and harassment in workplaces around the world via these deliberations. USCIB will continue to actively participate in the negotiations and work with other global employers to advocate for a meaningful, clear and inclusive text that advances workplace protections for everyone – including workers, public employers, private employers and LGBTI persons.

Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs Spring Committee Meeting

When: April 10-11th

Where: White&Case DC Office (701 13th St NW # 600, Washington, DC 20005)

Speakers:

  • The Honorable Michelle Bachelet Jeria, United Nations, High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Martha Newton, Deputy Undersecretary, International Labor Affairs Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor (TBC)
  • Bob Shepherd, Director, Office of International relations, International Labor Affairs Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor
  • Joan Barrett, Chief, Multilateral and Global Affairs, International Labor Affairs Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor
  • Caroline Reese, President, and Co-Founder, Shift

Topics: 

  • Managing International Labor & Business & Human Rights standards
  • Handling Evolving Non-Financial Reporting and Disclosure
  • Labor and NGO Engagement Strategy
  • Business & Human Rights Policy & Strategy Discussion
  • 2019 International Labor Conference Overview

Please send your RSVP to Kendall Thibeadeau at kthibeadeau@uscib.org

Workshop on the New Center for Sports & Human Rights

Please join us for an exciting workshop with the Center for Sports and Human Rights. Please see below for more information about the event and how to RSVP.

RSVP for April 9th Workshop on the new Center for Sport & Human Rights

Together with the Institute for Human Rights and Business, USCIB will co-sponsor a full-day workshop to highlight the newly launched Center for Human Rights and Sport. The goal of this convening is to raise awareness to U.S. companies of the role of the new center, understand the connection between sport and human rights, and share ways companies can engage. Confirmed speakers include representatives from the U.S. Department of State, former Olympic athletes, and private sector companies. An agenda can be found here.

  • Date/time: April 9, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Venue: Offices of White & Case LLP, Washington DC
  • RSVP : www.ihrb.org/uscib-rsvp

USCIB Co-Sponsors Sports and Human Rights Event

Published on March 15, 2019

Please join us for an exciting workshop with the Center for Sports and Human Rights. Please see below for more information about the event and how to RSVP.

RSVP for April 9th Workshop on the new Center for Sport & Human Rights

Together with the Institute for Human Rights and Business, USCIB will co-sponsor a full-day workshop to highlight the newly launched Center for Human Rights and Sport. The goal of this convening is to raise awareness to U.S. companies of the role of the new center, understand the connection between sport and human rights, and share ways companies can engage. Confirmed speakers include representatives from the U.S. Department of State, former Olympic athletes, and private sector companies. An agenda can be found here.

  • Date/time: April 9, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Venue: Offices of White & Case LLP, Washington DC
  • RSVP : www.ihrb.org/uscib-rsvp

Business & Society – Creating Shared Values: USCIB Responds

April 8, 2019
1p.m. – 4:30p.m.
(reception to follow)

Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
1350 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC

USCIB will hold a special briefing featuring conversations among USCIB staff and leading members on how USCIB is responding to the challenges around Business & Society. As business is expected to step up and provide the investment, innovation and capacity to scale solutions that can solve the world’s largest problems, USCIB members find themselves increasingly in the cross-hairs as anti-business sentiment continues to flourish among policymakers in forums around the world.

In response to this challenge and opportunity, USCIB has launched three new initiatives designed to show the pivotal role business plays in furtherance of the 2030 Agenda:

  • Together for Nutrition Principles – a joint project between The USCIB Foundation, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and the Wilton Park Foundation defining a set of principles for public-private sector engagement to advance the nutrition-related SDGs.
  • All In Campaign – an advocacy campaign bringing policymakers and global businesses together in key UN cities to engage in dialogues to advance opportunities for inclusive engagement with business from all industry sectors as essential to meeting the SDG goals.
  • Business in Society: A Crisis of Trust – a USCIB Foundation initiative that aims to influence attitudes and behaviors among policymakers through data, analysis and education to arrive at a common understanding that business can be profitable and still be a trusted partner in meeting the challenges facing society.

Join us as we discuss our work to date on these initiatives as well as what’s planned for the year ahead and beyond and how you can get involved. Speakers will be announced in the coming weeks and a formal invitation will follow.

For more information, please contact Alison Hoiem, Senior Director, Member Services (ahoiem@uscib.org).