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The OECD Guidelines are recommendations
of the governments for responsible entrepreneurship. In 1976, the OECD
issued Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, which were thoroughly
revised in 2000 and have been signed by the OECD member countries as well
as some other countries.
The OECD Guidelines consist of comprehensive norms and rules of conduct relating to all aspects of entrepreneurship.
They include chapters about disclosure, employment and industrial relations, environmental protection, combating bribery, consumer interests, science and technology as well as competition and taxation.
The OECD Guidelines emphasise international obligations respecting human rights and core labour standards as well as sustainability and the precautionary principle.
The OECD Guidelines are meant to apply world-wide and are relevant to all multinational enterprises with a mother company in any of the signatory states, no matter where a given enterprise happens to operate.
The OECD Guidelines include mechanisms for implementation and for complaints, both the responsibility of the National Contact Points. With the signing of the Guidelines the governments commit themselves to establish a National Contact Point. Should the National Contact Point accept the case, a mediation process is begun.