At the OECD 50th Anniversary Ministerial Meeting held in May 2011, in Paris, former US Secretary of State, Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton presided over the 2011 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting during which the update of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (the OECD Guidelines) by the 34 OECD and 101 non-OECD adhering governments was agreed upon. The OECD Guidelines are recommendations addressed to
enterprises operating in a global context covering all major areas of business ethics, notably labour, human rights, anti-corruption, the environment, tax and competition. The OECD Guidelines are supported by a unique implementation mechanism where adhering governments agree to establish National Contact Points (NCPs) for the promotion of the OECD Guidelines and the provision of assistance to parties when questions arise with respect to the observance of the OECD Guidelines in “specific instances” (or complaints). The update included a new human rights chapter consistent with the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights and the expectation that enterprises should undertake due diligence in order to avoid being involved in adverse impacts on matters covered by the OECD Guidelines, including in their
supply chains and business relationships, and to address such
impacts when they occur.