Rules of Procedure for NCPs and promotional activities
The NCPs in the Nordic and Baltic region vary in their set-up and availability of resources and staff for promoting the OECD guidelines. Some also lack rules of procedure on how to handle complaints. Norway and Denmark’s NCP gave introductions on how those NCPs that do not have rules of procedure in place could go about to ensure that NCPs lives up to the core criteria of visibility, accessibility, transparency and accountability.
Ellen Marie Friis Johansen from Denmark NCP and Frode Elgesem and Cathrine Halsaa from Norway NCP also gave introductions with examples of the promotional activities, seminars, conferences and training on RBC and the OECD guidelines.
Norway’s NCP introduced our website www.responsiblebusiness.no/en.
Norway’s NCP strive to be accessible and transparent by posting names and pictures of NCP members and secretariat, the OECD guidelines and guidance documents, an online complaint form and information on procedures for handling complaints. We also post news articles on emerging issues and trends related to responsible business conduct, both in English and Norwegian.
Mediation workshop
The NCPs learned basic mediation techniques with role-play and mock-up case training. It was very useful and interesting to put yourself in the shoes of a company that has received a complaint, an NGO, or try to act as a mediator between parties that might not be interested in achieving an agreement, they could be emotional and interrupting each other. Under expertise guidance of Tina Monberg from the Mediation Center, the participants now have a better understanding of tools and the challenging task a mediation represents.
Seminar on RBC for business representatives
The Lithuanian NCP organised a successful seminar on Responsible Business Conduct in the Nordic and Baltic region, which was well attended by the business community and other stakeholders from Vilnius. Kathryn Dovey from the OECD in Paris gave an introduction to the OECD Guidelines, the NCP system and the method of risk-based due diligence.
We would like to thank the following for sharing information and contributing to recruiting participants to the seminar:
The Norwegian-Lithuanian chamber of commerce
The Norwegian and Danish embassies in Vilnius
Nordic Council of ministers office in Lithuania
Full programme of the seminar and conference.
