1. KEYNOTE SPEECH BY: HERMAN MULDER
INDEPENDENT MEMBER DUTCH NATIONAL CONTACT POINT (2007-2016)
CHAIRMAN OF THE SDG CHARTER FOUNDATION
CHAIRMAN TRUE PRICE FOUNDATION
FELLOW NYENRODE BUSINESS UNIVERSITEIT
FOR THE SYMPOSIUM: “THE OECD MNE GUIDELINES, 40 YEARS: WHAT’S
NEXT”
THE HAGUE, 3 NOVEMBER 2016
THE CIRCLE IS CLOSED
The OECD Guidelines for Multi-national Enterprises: “doing no harm”
Article 1 of the (2011) OECD Guidelines for Multinational Companies states: “The
Guidelines aim to ensure that the operations of these enterprises are in harmony
with government policies, to strengthen the basis for mutual confidence between
enterprises and the societies in which they operate, to help improve the foreign
investment climate and to enhance the contribution to sustainable development
made by multinational enterprises”.
The Guidelines are focusing on responsible business conduct by Multi-National
Enterprises (MNE’s) in their entire value chain. The Guidelines are an example of
“soft law” by the (46) governments as they are voluntary, yet not non-committal:
governments may attach certain sanctions to non-compliance and, moreover,
there is “no law-free zone” as the Guidelines reflect good business practice.
The Guidelines are comprehensive, as they include human rights, employment &
industrial relations, environment, disclosure, corruption/bribery, consumer
interest, taxation, science & technology, competition. Central themes are: initial
and ongoing due diligence on own risks and on actual or possible adverse
impacts on stakeholders and society-at-large; scoping the nature of
responsibility of the MNE’s in their entire value chain (“cause, contribute or
directly linked” to impacts); leverage (alone or with others) to prevent, reduce,
mitigate adverse impacts.
The Guidelines offer the opportunity for affected people to seek remedy through
the mediation process by the National Contact Point (NCP in each of the OECD
(34) member and (12) adhering countries. This process also offers the
opportunity for forward looking learning: “from accidental pain in the
valuechain to systemic gain”, by improving practices and policies.
The Guidelines have been drafted and the performance thereon are being
monitored on a multi-stakeholder basis, i.e. governments, business (BIAC), trade
unions (TUAC), NGO’s (OECD Watch).
The Dutch Sector Covenant Process, initiated by the government for a number of
high impact business sectors, lead by business, with active involvement of civil

2. society organisations is based on the Guidelines (as well as on the UN Guiding
Principles for Business & Human Rights).
The UN Sustainable Development Goals: “doing good”
The Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the UN General
Assembly in 2015. With its 17 Goals it offers a wide-ranging aspiration (and
commitment by governments) to create a more sustainable, inclusive and fair
world by 2030.
Its scope is global (adopted by 198 countries), universal (setting national and
international targets), with a range of (169) targets and (230) indicators for
governments to act upon, and to report periodically in the UN fora.
The issues addressed in the Goals include: poverty, food security/nutrition,
health, education, gender, water/sanitation, sustainable energy, economic
growth & employment, inequality, cities, sustainable consumption and
production, climate change, natural stewardship, institution building and,
importantly, (multi-stakeholder) partnerships.
Although this is an agenda set by governments, it is recognised that the private
sector must play a key role in the implementation of the SDGs. Some leading
businesses have already committed to embrace the SDGs in their corporate
strategies (and performance reporting), focusing in particular on a few Goals of
their own, yet considering the other Goals as well. In the Netherlands already a
number of (multi-stakeholder) private sector initiatives and solution
partnerships have been taken, for instance the SDG Charter Coalition.
The Theory of Change: “a Shared Strategy for the Commons”
With the OECD Guidelines as normative baseline for business and the SDGs as
aspiration (“for all, by all”), we now have a catalytic Agenda to address “the
tragedy of the commons” by implementing together, through partnerships by
public and private sectors, “the strategy for the commons”.
The combined, complementary frameworks will assist us in developing coherent
and consistent supportive legislation and government policies; for business to
sharpen their “purpose” in society, their governance and to “sustainabilise” and
stabilise their value chains; for innovation in technology(-sharing) and business
models by all, using i.a. better data and metrics; for civil society organisations to
be more constructively engaged in government and business interventions.
Goal #17 is particularly important: “getting farther by going together”, with
shared outcomes on all other 16 Goals. Matching the broad societal agenda with
business objectives to realise shared outcomes will be our key challenge.
Also, the SDGs offer an opportunity to restore the core capital for government
and business: societal trust
The role of Government: “stepping up to the plate as convener and
facilitator”

3. Government has a key facilitating role to play in realising our 2015-2030 Agenda
towards a better world. It should amend its more reactive “additionality-“
approach (acting when markets are failing) to a more pro-active catalysing
“complementary” role, at least during the next 5-7 years, to create a pro-SDG
environment for itself, business and civil society.
More specifically it should:
1. strengthen the “do no harm”- Guidelines, by introducing selective
legislation, such as on mandatory due diligence in the valuechain, human
rights (such as the UK Modern Slavery Act), greenhouse gas emissions;
2. change existing legislation, regulations, policies, subsidies which are
counter-productive to the SDGs;
3. improve the effectiveness of the Guidelines by applying it to all businesses
(including SME), including the government in its role as “market actor”;
also, access to remedy need to be strengthened (adding a voluntary
“tribunal” process);
4. strengthen the OECD Guidelines process through much improved
functional equivalence among countries, more coherence on policies and
outcomes, guidance papers and linkage papers on topical issues;
5. develop, in cooperation with business, new coherent and consistent
enabling policies and instruments to “crowd in” business into the SDG
Agenda, provided business adheres to the Guidelines’ framework.
The role of Business: “no planet, no people: no profit”
Business should recognise that it should redefine its role in society through
redefining its purpose: create value for customers, wealth for investors, long
term value for its stakeholders, while adopting ethical standards, doing no harm
to social wellbeing, natural ecosystems and biodiversity, climate. Its governance
structure and public accountability processes should reflect this approach.
“Nothing is impossible, particularly when it is inevitable”: reading the signs on
the wall and take early action is part of effective leadership.
It should also consider that preventing potential costs of conflict with
stakeholders, the arising of new societal liabilities, “stranding” of assets, the loss
of reputation/brand/value are important business case factors.
More specifically it should:
1. explicitly adopt the OECD MNE Guidelines framework as baseline and the
SDGs as important factors in its strategy, and report thereon (eg. by
applying GRI Standards and Compass);
2. measure, monetise and effectively address all material externalities (both
negative impacts and positive effects, without undue “netting”) in its
value chain: true pricing, true Profit & Loss;
3. enter into “solution partnerships” to realise SDGs;
4. stimulate consumers to buy “sustainably and responsibly”.
5. actively participate in national and international sector-/theme- “tables”.

4. The role of Civil Society Organisations: “activism & constructivism”
NGO’s and trade unions should recognise that, notwithstanding serious negative
impacts for which case-specific “naming & shaming” is justified, the concept of
“knowing & showing and, even, joining” the broader Agenda (as described
herein) in a diverse and dynamic world in which no one is perfect, deserves a fair
chance and a constructive approach. Civil society organisations play an even
more important role in keeping the normative baseline during the
implementation of the SDG “promise” with speed and scale.
The special role of the Financial Sector: “restoring trust by embracing the
societal agenda”
Next to adopting the roles of business mentioned above the financial sector
should play, in serving society, a particularly important role as “gate-keeper” of
high standards, and as ambitious and responsible “enabler” by its capital-
mobilisation role.
More specifically it should:
1. pro-actively engage with its business relationships in its valuechain on
adopting the OECD Guidelines and embracing the SDGs;
2. contributing to “making markets fit for sustainable and responsible
purpose” by raising the disclosure standards of its business relationship;
3. consider impact investing “the new normal”, rather than a new asset
class.
Where is the Consumer: “the hidden change-maker”?
The Consumer is the big absentee in the Agenda. Through his conscious choices
he may make major contributions. He needs to be more aware of the intrinsic
value of products (or, rather, the lack thereof).
More specifically he should:
1. require more information about origin, externalities embedded in a
product
2. make informed and responsible decisions, including paying a higher “true
price”
Closing Comment
Our mission is now well defined: we have “do no harm”-framework (through the
2011 OECD MNE Guidelines) and a “doing good”-agenda (through the 2015-2030
SDGs). Collective action with ambition is now of the essence. We have no excuse
anymore not to adopt, embrace and act upon this.
The Circle is closed!