【OECD】与国家负责任商业行为联络点合作的商业案例

ThebusinesscaseforengagingwiththeNationalContact

PointsforResponsibleBusinessConduct

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THEBUSINESSCASEFORENGAGINGWITHTHENATIONALCONTACTPOINTSFORRESPONSIBLEBUSINESSCONDUCT©OECD2026

Disclaimers

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©OECD2026.

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/l

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Tableofcontents

Disclaimers2

1Introduction4

2Methodology7

3Specificinstancescanbeanefficientwaytopotentiallyresolvecostlydisputes8

Unresolveddisputespotentiallycarryimportantcosts8

NCPshavebeeneffectiveinfacilitatingdisputeresolutionwhenbothpartiesengage10

TheNCPmechanismisuniquelydesignedtofacilitatecost-effectivedisputeresolution10

4Thereareimportantexternalfactorsthatcanjustifyengagementinspecific

instances15

Outcomesofspecificinstanceswillbepubliclyavailable15

Governmentsmaytieeconomicincentivestogoodfaithengagementinspecificinstances16

5Specificinstancescanstrengthenandrebuildstakeholdertrustoverthelongterm19

Thebusinesscaseforstrongstakeholderrelationshipsisclear19

SpecificInstancescansetthebasisforastrongrelationshipwiththeotherparty20

SpecificInstancescansetthebasisforcontinuousrelationshipbetweencompanyandNCP21

6NCPscanhelpcompaniesimproveduediligence,meetingexpectationsof

regulators,businesspartnersandinvestors22

Soundduediligencepreparescompaniestomeetexpectationsofregulators24

Businesspartners’duediligenceexpectationsarealsoincreasing27

Investorsincreasinglyexpecttheirinvesteecompaniestoconductduediligence28

7Conclusion32

References33

Notes40

Figures

Figure1.TheNCPspecificinstanceprocessataglance5

Figure2.ExamplesofregulatorydevelopmentsbasedontheGuidelines25

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THEBUSINESSCASEFORENGAGINGWITHTHENATIONALCONTACTPOINTSFORRESPONSIBLEBUSINESSCONDUCT©OECD2026

1Introduction

NationalContactPointsforResponsibleBusinessConduct(NCPs)havethemandatetoactasstate-basednon-judicialgrievancemechanismsundertheOECDGuidelinesforMultinationalEnterprises(OECDGuidelines).TheGuidelinesarerecommendationsaddressedbygovernmentstomultinationalcompaniesonresponsiblebusinessconduct(RBC),coveringkeyareasofbusinessresponsibilitysuchashumanrights,labourrights,environment,bribery,consumerinterests,disclosure,scienceandtechnology,competition,andtaxation(OECD,2023[

1

]).Otherleadinginternationalinstrumentspromoteacommonunderstandingofbusinessresponsibility,includingtheUNGuidingPrinciplesforBusinessandHumanRights(UNGPs)andtheInternationalLabourOrganization’sTripartiteDeclarationofPrinciplesconcerningMultinationalEnterprisesandSocialPolicy.

Todate,NCPsaretheonlyimplementationmechanismthatisattachedtoaninternationalinstrumentonRBC,sinceallgovernmentsadheringtotheGuidelineshavealegalobligationtoestablishanNCP.Assuch,theyareacrucialanduniquemechanismforfacilitatingtheresolutionofissuesrelatedtotheGuidelinesandapplyingtheGuidelinestoconcretesituations.The52countriesadheringtotheGuidelineshaveeachestablishedanNCPandtheycanhandlespecificinstancesbroughtagainstcompaniesoperatinginorfromadherentcountries.

Since2000,NCPshavehandledmorethan900casesrelatingtocompanyoperationsinover110countries(OECD,n.d.[

2

]).Thegrievancesraiseissuesinavarietyofsectors,themostcitedsectorsbeingminingandquarrying,manufacturing,financialandinsuranceactivities,energy(electricity,gas,steamandairconditioningsupply),construction,informationandcommunicationandagriculture.Themajorityofspecificinstancesaddresshumanrightsissuesandgeneralpolicies,whichincludeexpectationsonduediligence,followedbyemploymentandworkerissuesandenvironment.

Whenreceivingacomplaint,NCPsfollowafive-stepprocesslaidoutintheOECDGuidelines(see

Figure

1).

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THEBUSINESSCASEFORENGAGINGWITHTHENATIONALCONTACTPOINTSFORRESPONSIBLEBUSINESSCONDUCT©OECD2026

Figure1.TheNCPspecificinstanceprocessataglance

Note:Specificinstancesarestatebasednon-judicialgrievancemechanismsestablishedbyadherentstatestotheOECDGuidelines.Interestedstakeholderscansubmitgrievancesonconcernsaboutacompany’scompliancewiththeGuidelines.

Source:OECD(2026[

3

]),FAQontheNCPGrievanceMechanism,

/content/dam/oecd/en/networks/national-contact

-points/FAQ-NCP-grievance-mechanism.pdf.

TheexpectationoftheGuidelinesisthatcompaniesengagewiththeNCPwhenaspecificinstancewasfiledinrelationtotheirpractices,buttheprocessisvoluntaryandcompaniesmaychoosenottoengage.Inpractice,companieschoosingnottoengageisacommoncauseofspecificinstancesnotresultinginanagreement

.1

Onefrequentreasonwhycompanieschoosenottoengageisthattheydonotseetheaddedvalueoftheprocessbecausetheybelievethemselvestobeincompliancewithrelevantduediligenceexpectations

.2

Anotherfrequentreasonisthatcompaniesdonotbelievetheprocesswillsuccessfullyresolvethedispute,forinstancebecausetheyseethepositionsofsubmittersandthecompanyastoofarapart

.3

NCPspecificinstanceshaveagoodtrackrecordofresolvingdisputeswhenbothpartiesengageingoodfaith.Companiesthathaveparticipatedinoneormultiplespecificinstancesinthepasthaveidentifiedvariousshort-andlong-termbenefitswhichmightnotbeimmediatelyapparenttolesser-informedcompanies.Thispaperseekstobridgethisgapbyexplainingpotentialbenefitsforbusinessinengaging

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withNCPspecificinstances.Itisnotascientificstudyprovidingacomprehensiveanalysisofallpossibleincentivesforengagement.Whilesomepotentialconcernsofcompaniesarementionedthroughoutthepaper,itdoesnotexploredisincentivesorargumentsagainstengagingwithNCPspecificinstancesindepth.

ItshouldalsobenotedthatmanyofthepotentialbenefitsarepremisedontheeffectivehandlingofspecificinstancesbyNCPs.WhileAdherentstotheGuidelinesarecontinuouslyworkingwithNCPsthemselvesandtheOECDtobuildfunctionalequivalencebetweentheNCPs,someconcernsremain.Forexample,the2024AnnualReportonNCPActivityshowedthattimelinesinthehandlingofcaseswereregularlyexceedingtheindicativetimelinesprovidedbytheGuidelines(OECD,2025,p.9[

4

]).DifferencesinexperiencelevelsbetweenNCPsalsoremain,withsomeNCPsreceivingmorecasesandthereforeexperiencethanothers.Between2023and2025forinstance,fourNCPsreceivedmorethan20casesubmissions,whilemorethanhalfreceivedtwoorless(OECD,n.d.[

2

]).

ThepaperbeginsbyoutliningtheuniquecharacteristicsofthespecificinstanceprocessandhowtheNCPmechanismisdesignedtobewellpositionedtofacilitatetheresolutionofcomplexissues.ThisenablescompaniestopotentiallyavoidcostsusuallyassociatedwithRBCdisputes,suchaslegalcostsandmanagerialcosts,orcostsassociatedwithproductionstoppages,oravoiddamageaffectinginvestorandconsumerperceptionsaboutthecompany.Itthenexploresvariousincentivesthatcompanieshaveinengaginginspecificinstances,suchasthereputationalrisksandbenefitsforcompaniesandothertangibleadvantagestiedtoNCPspecificinstances,suchaseligibilityforgovernmentservices,benefitsorcontracts.Thepaperthendiscussesthevariouswaysinwhichspecificinstancescanalsostrengthenacompany’srelationshipswithimportantstakeholdersbeyondthespecificinstanceprocess,andthebenefitsthisbringstocompanies.Finally,thepaperexploreshowparticipationinthespecificinstanceprocesscanalso,throughstrengtheninginvolvedcompanies’duediligenceprocesses,supporttheminrespondingtoincreasingRBCexpectationsoncompaniesbyregulators,businesspartnersandinvestors.

Byanalysingthesefactors,thispaperaimstoprovideanoverviewofwhycompaniesshouldconsiderengagingwithNCPspecificinstancesasastrategicdecisionthatcanenhancetheirreputationandlong-termsustainability.

Keyoverallfindings

•Facinghumanrights,environmentalandlabourgrievancescanbecostlyforcompanies,andNCPsareofteneffectiveatfindingwin-winsolutionswhenbothpartiesengageintheprocessingoodfaith.

•Resultsoftheprocessarepublicandmaybereportedonbymedia.Engaginggivescompaniesachancetoinfluenceoutcomesandtodemonstratetheircommitmenttoresponsiblebusinessconduct.NCPscanreportongood-faithengagementtoothergovernmentdepartments,whichmayconditiongovernmentsupport.

•ConflictsandothertensionswithstakeholdersaboutRBCperformancecannegativelyaffectprofitandrevenuepotential,andNCPshelpbuildtrustandlong-lastingstakeholderrelationships.

•Regulators,businesspartnersandinvestorsincreasinglyplaceduediligenceandotherRBCexpectationsoncompanies.TheNCPmechanismcanhelpcompaniesaddressgapsincompany-wideduediligenceprocessesandthereforesupporttheminmeetingtheseexpectations.

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2Methodology

ResearchforthepresentpaperfocussedonpotentialbenefitsofengagingwithNCPspecificinstances,notanin-depthscientificanalysisoftheincentivesanddisincentives.Thepresentpaperbuildsonevidencecollectedthroughaliteraturereview,areviewofpastNCPspecificinstances,semi-structuredtargetedinterviews,andanalysisofRBCrelatedpoliciesandregulation.ThereviewalsobuildsonpreviousOECDworkonNCPs,suchasthereportProvidingaccesstoremedy,20yearsandtheroadahead(OECD,2019[

5

])andwascomplementedbyadditionaldeskresearch.PastspecificinstanceswereexaminedusingtheOECDspecificinstancedatabasetoidentifydifferenttangiblepositiveoutcomesforbusinessthroughthespecificinstanceprocess(e.g.strengthenedduediligenceprocesses).

InterviewswereheldwithnineNCPsandsevenpartiesinpastcases(sixcompaniesandonetradeunionfederation)aswellastwoexperts.AllinterviewswereconductedusingtheChathamHouserule,meaningthat,whenthepaperreflectsinformationobtainedthroughaninterview,nosourceisreferenced.OECDinstitutionalstakeholderswerealsoconsultedforthepurposesofthispaper.

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3Specificinstancescanbean

efficientwaytopotentiallyresolvecostlydisputes

Companyactivitiesmayraisedisputeswithstakeholdersregardingactualorperceivednegativeimpactsandcancoveravarietyofissues,includingenvironment,humanrights,labour,orcorruption.

InthiscontextNCPs’uniquecombinationofcharacteristicsmayequipthemwelltosupportthepartiesincomingtoaresolution.NCPspecificinstancescanrepresentanopportunityforcompaniestoresolvedisputes,includingininstanceswheretheissueshavebeenongoingforalongperiodoftime.Inturn,notaddressingissuesordisputescanresultinseveralnegativeimplicationsforcompanies,includingcostsassociatedwithprolongingandlitigatingthedispute(

e.g.legal

costs,managerialcosts),productionstoppages,delaysinprojectsandinvestments,lostopportunities,andreputationaldamageaffectinginvestorandconsumerperceptionsaboutthecompany.

Thefollowingwilloutlinepotentialcostsforcompaniesresultingfromdisputesandprovideanevaluationofthe“successrate”ofNCPsinfacilitatingtheresolutionofissuesthroughthespecificinstanceprocess.Thesectionwillthenexplainwhytheset-upofNCPsequipsthemwelltohandlecomplexissuesinanefficientmanner,focussingontheirimpartiality,thenon-adversarialapproachtospecificinstances,theflexibilityinprocessandsubstance,andcost-andtime-effectiveness.

Unresolveddisputespotentiallycarryimportantcosts

Potentialcostsofnotaddressinggrievances

Theliteratureidentifiesdifferentpotentialcostsassociatedwithongoingconflictwithstakeholders,including:

•delaysinprojectsandinvestments

•lossofmanagerialtime

•lossofemployeeproductivity

•increasedemployeeturnovercosts

•costsduetosupplychaindisruptions

•lossofsalesormarketvalueduetonegativeconsumerperceptions

•feweropportunitiesforfutureprojects

•andnegativeeffectsonaccesstocapitalandinvestorconfidence.

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Ongoinggrievancesanddisputescanbeexpensiveinmanyrespectsforcompanies.ResearchhasidentifiednumerouscostspotentiallyassociatedwithnotaddressingRBCimpactsandongoingconflictswithstakeholders

.4

DisputesrelatedtoRBCcanleadtodelaysanddisruptionsoflarge-scaleprojects,atleastincertainsectorsandgeographies.Intheminingindustry,arecentreportdocumented36017mining-relatedconflictsacrosslocationsworldwide(MarinandPalazzo,2025[

6

]).DavisandFranks(2014[

7

])examinedthebusinessimpactsofsocio-environmentaldisputesintheminingsector,findingthatacapital-intensiveprojectworthUSD3-5billionwouldexperiencefinanciallossesofaroundUSD20millionperweekduetoproductiondelaysstemmingfromcommunityoppositionandenvironmentalprotests.AccordingtoBağlayanetal.(2018[

8

]),thegreatestcoststocompaniesoftencomeintheformofopportunitycosts,suchasthelossoffutureprojectsandexpansionplans,whileoperationaldelaysandmanagementtimedivertedtoconflictresolutioncansignificantlyaffectproductivityandlong-termfinancialperformance.

Managerialtimelossisanothersubstantialcostincurredduetocorporatedisputes.Franksetal.(2014[

9

])arguethatseniormanagementoftendivertscriticaltimeandresourcestowarddisputeresolutioninsteadoffocussingoncompanyexpansionandinnovation.Thisopportunitycostweakensstrategicdecisionmakingandreducesoperationalefficiency.

NotaddressingRBCissuesmayalsocarryanincreasedriskofreducedemployeeproductivity,supplychaindisruptionsbecauseofstrikesorwalk-outsatfactories,orcostsassociatedwithemployeeturnover.AninitiativebytheInternationalFinanceCorporationandInternationalLabourOrganizationfocussedonimprovingworkingconditionsandaddressingworkplaceissuessuchasforcedlabourandsexualharassmentinmorethan1300factoriesacrosstheworld.Anindependentreviewoftheinitiativefoundthatinfactorieswheretheprogrammewasimplemented,workershadfewerfearsabouttheworkplace,andfactoriessubjecttotheinitiativenoticedanincreaseinproductivityby25%withinfouryears(InternationalLabourOffice,2016[

10

]).DelmasandPekovic(2012[

11

])analysedtheeffectsofenvironmentalstandardsadoptedbyacompanyonemployeeproductivitythroughaFrenchsurveyfrom5220firms,findingthatfirmsimplementingvoluntaryenvironmentalstandardsshowedhigherproductivity.

NotaddressingRBCrisksmayalsocreatecostsassociatedwithemployeeturnoverormissingoutonattractingorretainingtalent.BriscoeandDesJardine(2026[

12

])studiedLinkedIndataof735USpubliccompanies.Theyfoundthatcompaniesthathadbeeninvolvedinmisconductcausingfinesof5%oftheirannualrevenuehadanincreaseofemployeeturnoveracrossorganisationalstructuresof3.93%.Theseemployeesnotablyturnedtoemployerswithlessofahistoryofsuchviolations.

Relevantcostsmayalsocomefromsupplychaindisruptionsduetostrikesinthesupplychain.In2014,tensofthousandsofworkersinthegarmentsectorparticipatedinstrikesorwalk-outsinfactoriesproducingforglobalgarmentcompaniesinresponsetopoorworkingconditionsinCambodia(Palatino,2014[

13

]).

Consumersurveysshowhowconsumersarebecomingmoredeliberateofthesustainabilityimpactsintheirbuyingchoices.Accordingtothe2024PWCConsumerVoicesurvey,morethan80%ofconsumersindicatedwillingnesstospendmoreforsustainableproducts(PwC,2024[

14

]).AdifferentstudysurveyingGen-Zconsumersidentifiedthatnotonlywerethoseinterviewedwillingtopaymoreforethicallysourcedproducts,but81%alsoindicatedtheyhadchangedtheirpurchasingdecisionbasedon“brandactionorreputation”,and69.8%ofthoseindicatedthatethicallabourhadbeenpartoftheirreasoning(Ahremetal.,n.d.[

15

]).

Finally,disputesinvolvingenterprisesaffectaccesstocapitalandinvestorconfidence.DavisandFranks(2014[

7

])notedthatcompanieswithahistoryofunresolveddisputesmayoftenstruggletosecurefunding,asinvestorsandlendersperceivethemashigh-riskentities.

Whilescientificsourcesexaminedmayfocusoncertainhighimpactsectors,findingstendtoconvergetowardsaconclusionthatunresolvedRBCissuesgenerallyleadtosomecostforthecompany.Moreover,thesectorsinfocusareregularlysubjecttospecificinstances.Forexample,theminingsectoristhemost

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representedincasessubmittedtoNCPsbetween2011to2024,withcloseto20%ofcasesconcerningthatsector,followedbymanufacturing,alsowithcloseto20%ofcases(OECD,2025,p.5[

4

]).

NCPshavebeeneffectiveinfacilitatingdisputeresolutionwhenbothpartiesengage

TheNCPgrievancemechanismcanhelpaddressRBCrelateddisputesandsupportpartiestofindsolutions.Companiescanbehesitanttoengageiftheydonotbelievethatgoodofficeswouldleadtoapositiveoutcome,forinstancebecausethepositionsbetweenthetwopartiesaretoofarapart

.5

NCPshoweverhaveagoodtrackrecordinresolvingormakingprogressonRBCdisputesthroughmediation.Mediationasadisputesettlementmechanismitselfhashighsuccessrates

.6

NCPshaveaccesstomediationexpertise,somebeingtrainedmediatorsthemselves,othershiringprofessionalmediators.RecentyearshaveseenanupwardtrendofagreementsbetweenthepartiesinNCPspecificinstances.Whereasbetween2011-2019,upto40%ofcaseswheretheNCPprovidedmediationledtoanagreement(OECD,2019,p.20[

5

]),thisnumberroseto73%in2023(OECD,2024,p.6[

16

])and57%in2024(OECD,2025,p.7[

4

]).In2024,mediationfailedinonly19%ofcaseswhenbothpartiesengagedingoodfaithinacompletemediationprocess

,7

demonstratingthatthetimespentonengagingearnestlyinresolvingtheissuesthroughaspecificinstancecanbeagoodtimeinvestmentaschancesoffailurearerelativelylow.Agreementscanalsobefoundinparallelproceedings,wheretheNCPprocesscanbeanimportantadditionalfactorbringingthepartiestogether(seee.g.(ChileNCP,2019[

17

])).

IfthepartiesagreeneitherinNCPspecificinstancesnorinparallelprocesses,theNCPcanstillcontributetotheresolutionoftheissuesbyissuingrecommendationsordeterminationsandfollowinguponthecase.Insomeinstances,thepartieshavecometoaresolutionduringtheNCP’sfollow-uptorecommendations(seee.g.(AustraliaNCP,2020[

18

])).In2024,NCPshaveissuedrecommendationsin78%ofcasesthatdidnotresultinagreement(OECD,2025[

4

]).Suchrecommendationsinthemselvescanprovidevaluableinputforthecompanyandthereforeaddresstheissues(seebelowsection

6;

seealsoforanexample(NCPFrance,2012[

19

])

8)

.Inothercases,theNCPdeterminedthatthecompanyactedinaccordancewiththeGuidelinesbutstillissuedrecommendationstofurtherstrengthencompanygoodpractice.

TheNCPmechanismisuniquelydesignedtofacilitatecost-effectivedisputeresolution

UniquecharacteristicsofNCPsasgrievancemechanisms

•Impartialandtrusted–NCPsarerequiredtoactimpartiallyandputinplaceprocessestoavoidpersonalorinstitutionalconflictsofinterest(OECD,2022[

20

]).

•Collaborative,notconfrontational–Specificinstancesarenon-adversarial,settingpartiesupfordisputeresolutionandwin-winsolutions.

•Flexibleinprocess–theprocedurescantosomeextentbeadjustedtocircumstancesorparties’preferences,includingthroughconfidentialityagreements.

•Flexibleinsubstance–partiescanagreeonawiderangeofremediescompatiblewiththeGuidelines.

•Low-cost–NCPscarrycostsofmediatorsandnolegalrepresentationisnecessary.

•Time-saving–one-stopshopwithreasonabletimeframes.

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NCPsserveasanon-judicialmechanismtocontributetotheresolutionofRBCissuessubmittedtothem.NCPscomewithuniquecharacteristicswhichsetthemapartfromothergrievancemechanismssuchascourtsorarbitraltribunals.NCPsarealsosubjecttoregularprocessestosupporttheircontinuedeffectivenessinfulfillingtheirresponsibilities,includinghandlingspecificinstances.Onthisactivity,NCPsreportannuallytotheOECDandaresubjecttoperiodicpeerreviews(OECD,2023,p.61[

1

]).Atthesametime,differencesinexperiencelevelsbetweendifferentNCPsremainandsomeNCPsmaybemoreexperiencedthanothersinhandlingspecificinstances(seeabove

Introduction)

.

NCPsareimpartialbrokersofcollaborativesolutions

TheOECDGuidelinesrequireNCPstoactasimpartialthirdpartiesseekingtomovefromadisputetowardsamutuallyagreedsolution.NCPsarenon-adversarialgrievancemechanismsthataresupposedto“offeraforumfordiscussionand[their]expertiseontheGuidelines”tofacilitatetheresolutionoftheissuesraised(OECD,2023,p.59[

1

]).Indoingso,NCPsmustobserveasetof“coreeffectivenesscriteria”,includingthoseofimpartialityandequitability,whichimplytotreatbothpartiesfairlyandtoensurethattheycanbotheffectivelyparticipateintheprocess.NCPsarealsoexpectedtoensurethattheyarefreeofpersonalorinstitutionalconflictsofinterests(OECD,2022[

20

]).Finally,NCPsseektoincreaseimpartialityandequitabilitybyincludingavarietyofvoices,interestsandpointsofviewintheirmembership.In2024,83%ofNCPsincludedrepresentativesofstakeholdersintheirinstitutionalarrangements,eitherinadecisionmakingoradvisorybasis(OECD,2025[

4

]).

NCPswillseek