OECD CONFERENCE ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

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Business and climate change An MNE Guidelines
perspective Céline Kauffmann and Cristina Tébar
Less

• OECD CONFERENCE ON CORPORATE SOCIAL
  RESPONSIBILITY
• 15 June 2009, OECD Conference Centre, Paris,
  France

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Introduction

• Joint EPOC Investment Committee project on
  Engaging the private sector in support of a
  low-carbon future gt aims to identify good
  practice in the design and use of public
  corporate policies to steer private investment to
  low-carbon outcomes.
• Initial research by secretariat to start
  discussions and obtain experts input gt a
  revised version based on your comments and
  additional consultations will be submitted for
  discussion in the 2 committees. Further joint
  events consultations will follow.

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Approach

• Focus on corporate practices.
• Draws on the MNE Guidelines.
• Highlights 3 areas
• 1st step in a companys strategy to address
  climate change measuring, reporting and
  verifying emissions
• Towards a pro-active attitude making commitments
  to lower emissions
• The 3rd pillar in the fight against CC (with
  governments and companies) engaging consumers

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Measuring, reporting and verifying emissions

• The Guidelines encourage companies to apply
  high quality standards for disclosure, accounting
  and audit .
• What, Where and How?
• Mandatory vs. voluntary reporting?
• Integrating financial and non-financial
  information?
• Scope? Direct indirect emissions, current
  future, corporate vs. product level, corporate
  strategy, risks opportunities.
• According to which accounting reporting
  standards?

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Making commitments

• The Guidelines recommend that companies establish
   measurable objectives for improved
  environmental performance 
• How to manage risks in the long-run?
• What quantitative GHG emission reduction targets?
  Internal strategies vs. offsetting? Managing the
  supply chain.
• Implementing what corporate governance? How to
  engage employees? How to ensure the business case?

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Engaging consumers

• The Guidelines recommend that  enterprises
  promote higher levels of awareness among
  consumers  and  provide accurate and clear
  information 
• How best to engage consumers?
• Information on product carbon footprint
• Education campaigns
• Offering low carbon goods and services
• Who does what? (gvts/companies/consumer assoc)
• How to ensure readability and credibility of
  information, deal with conflict across priorities?

Key Issues
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Questions for future consideration

• Identify trends, key issues and  good 
  innovative corporate practices across OECD and
  major non-OECD countries towards low-carbon
  economy.
• Discuss additional areas where corporate
  practices in support of low-carbon economy are
  developing reducing emissions in the supply
  chain, scope of business engagement in the
  development of CC policies

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Thank you!Contact celine.kauffmann_at_oecd.org