IOB evaluations on RBC policies

In 2019, IOB published two evaluations on the effectiveness of policies for responsible business conduct (RBC):

• The evaluation Mind the governance gap, map the chain reviews the effectiveness of the Dutch RBC policy. It looks at the development of multi-stakeholder sector agreements, frameworks for responsible procurement by the government and private-sector instruments, activities of embassies and efforts to promote RBC on an international level, for example by European regulation.
• The evaluation of the Dutch National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines analyses the results of this specific RBC instrument between 2012 and 2018.

Both evaluations not only provide insight in the effectiveness of current RBC policies, but also suggest improvement for future policies and how to monitor and evaluate these policies. The aim of this symposium is to continue the debate on what makes RBC policies and instruments effective.

Programme

12.15   Registration, doors open. Lunch buffet.

13.00   Welcome by moderator Marcia Luyten

13.05   Welcome by Wendy Asbeek Brusse, director of IOB

13.10   Keynote speech by Karien van Gennip, Vice Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce and CEO ING France:

Drivers of responsible business conduct for companies and investors.

13.35   Keynote speech by Bernard Hoekman, Robert Schuman Chair, Director of the Global Economics Research Area of the Global Governance Programme:

Challenges and opportunities for responsible business conduct and governance in the current global business and trading environment.

14.00   Short break: transfer to rooms for break-out sessions.

14.15   Break-out sessions addressing these overall questions:

What RBC policies and instruments are effective? What is the evidence? What evidence is lacking? What needs to be improved in terms of monitoring and evaluation?

Session 1: Drivers of responsible business conduct

• Herman Mulder, Chair SDG Charter – moderator
• Rob van Tulder, Erasmus School of Management
• Jorim Schraven, Director Impact and ESG, FMO
• Marina Migliorato, CSR Europe, Enel

Session 2: Access to remedy: National Contact Points

• Tineke Lambooy, Nyenrode Business University – moderator
• Sander van ‘t Foort, Nyenrode Business University
• Christina Tebar Less, manager RBC Centre, OECD
• Representative of the NCP Netherlands

Session 3: Responsible and sustainable public procurement

• André Nijhof, Nyenrode Business University – moderator
• Myrthe Vogel, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
• Tim Stoffel, Researcher at German Development Institute
• Jolien Grandia,  Erasmus University Rotterdam

Session 4: Legal measures to promote RBC

• Liesbeth Enneking, Erasmus School of Law – moderator
• Christine Kaufmann, Chair of the OECD Working Party on RBC
• Zsofia Kerecsen, team leader corporate governance policy, DG Justice, EC
• Dirk-Jan Koch, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chief Science Officer

Session 5: Multi-stakeholder cooperation on RBC

• John Morrison, Institute for Human Rights and Business – moderator
• Alexandra van Selm, Social and Economic Council (SER)
• Hugo von Meijenfeldt, Global Compact Netherlands
• Joseph Wilde-Ramsing, OECD Watch and SOMO

Session 6: RBC standards, reporting and accountability

• Teresa Fogelberg, Transparency Benchmark/GRI – moderator
• Karen Maas, Erasmus University
• Marion Verles, director SustainCERT
• Pietro Bertazzi, director Carbon Disclosure Project

15.30   Coffee break

16.00   Towards effective RBC policies
Plenary panel discussion moderated by Marcia Luyten, discussing the main answers to the questions collected in the break-out sessions.

• Caroline Kollau, Director Trade and Investment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Zsofia Kerecsen, team leader corporate governance policy, DG Justice, EC
• Katrien Termeer, Chair RBC committee Social and Economic Council (SER)
• Christine Kaufmann, Chair of the OECD Working Party on RBC
• Tuur Elzinga, Vice Chair FNV and member of the RBC committee of the SER
• Matthias Thorn, deputy SG International Organization of Employers (OIE)

17.00   Reception.

 

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact IOB-RBC-Conference@minbuza.nl.