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Austrian National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct – hereinafter OECD Guidelines – are one of the most important and comprehensive international instruments for promoting responsible business conduct. 38 OECD member states and 14 other states – a total of 52 so-called adhering states – as well as the European Union have committed themselves under international law to promoting and implementing these internationally recognised principles and standards for responsible business conduct.

The OECD Guidelines contain recommendations for action by governments to companies operating in or from the adherents and thus supplement existing law. Their implementation is promoted by so-called ‘National Contact Points’.

Austrian National Contact Point (Austrian NCP)

The adhering states to the OECD Guidelines have committed themselves to establishing National Contact Points with a dual mandate to:

  1. promote awareness and effective application of the OECD Guidelines, and
  2. function as an extrajudicial complaint and mediation mechanism by contributing to the resolution of disputes arising from the implementation of the OECD Guidelines.

Functions of the Austrian NCP

The Austrian NCP ensures that the OECD Guidelines and related OECD Due Diligence Guidances are disseminated as widely as possible. To this end, the Austrian NCP cooperates with companies, social partners, interest associations, civil society, relevant government agencies and other stakeholders.

The Austrian NCP provides information material, organises events and, where possible, participates in relevant events organised by stakeholders, the OECD or other National Contact Points. Furthermore, the Austrian NCP responds to enquiries concerning the OECD Guidelines or Due Diligence Guidances. In particular, the Austrian NCP is available to affected stakeholders and other National Contact Points for information relating to the Guidelines.

Where possible, the Austrian NCP supports the developing, coherent drafting and implementing of measures and programmes to promote responsible business conduct in cooperation with relevant government bodies. In doing so, the Austrian NCP takes care to align such with the OECD Guidelines. Moreover, the Austrian NCP endeavours to maintain the status of the OECD Guidelines and the instruments based on them (e.g. OECD Due Diligence Guidance) as a recognised international standard.

Further information about events, recordings of past webinars and brochures by the Austrian NCP can be found here (in German): Veranstaltungen und Informationsformate des österreichischen Nationalen Kontaktpunktes.

The Austrian NPC acts as an extrajudicial complaint and mediation mechanism and provides a protected forum for discussion to resolve disputes relating to compliance with the OECD Guidelines. The aim of the grievance procedure is to reach a consensual, forward-looking agreement between the parties on the issues raised, in line with the OECD Guidelines, thereby promoting the effectiveness of the OECD Guidelines. The Austrian NCP supports the parties both with its expertise on the OECD Guidelines and by facilitating a constructive dialogue.

Further information on the grievance mechanism and specific instances handled by the Austrian NCP can be found here:

Organisation and Functioning of the Austrian NCP

The Austrian NCP is established within the Federal Ministry for Economy, Energy and Tourism. The responsible organisational unit is Division II/6a – ‘Austrian National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises’. The Austrian NCP acts based on the Rules of Procedure of the Austrian NCP:

A Steering Committee has been established to support the Austrian NCP. The composition, remit and activities of the steering committee are governed by its own rules of procedure.

A Steering Committee was established to support the Austrian NCP, consisting of representatives from other Federal Ministries, social partners, interest associations and civil society, as well as an expert with knowledge of consensual, extrajudicial dispute resolution and a human rights expert. 

The Steering Committee's tasks include advising the Austrian NCP on the matters relating to the implementation of the OECD Guidelines, participating in the preparation of the annual report to the OECD Investment Committee, promoting a broad dialogue on the OECD Guidelines with relevant stakeholders, and submitting proposals for the further development of the Austrian NCP. More information on the Steering Committe can be found in the Rules of Procedure of the Steering Committee (in German) (PDF, 157 KB) (PDF, 157 KB). 

In accordance with the Steering Committee's rules of procedure, a brief and anonymised summary of the results of each meeting of the Steering Committee is published on the website of the Austrian NCP (in German): Österreichischer Nationaler Kontaktpunkt für verantwortungsvolles unternehmerisches Handeln.

The functioning of the Austrian NCP is characterised by the core effectiveness criteria of National Contact Points.

  1. Visibility: The Austrian NCP is sufficiently visible to stakeholders and relevant government bodies.
  2. Accessibility: The Austrian NCP is available to stakeholders and relevant government bodies for enquiries. Complaints can be submitted using a submission form, which is available online in German, English and French. The requirements and criteria for submitting complaints are explained in the Guidance on the Grievance Procedure before the Austrian NCP.
  3. Transparency: The Austrian NCP conducts its activities in a transparent manner subject to applicable law, thus contributing to building confidence on the part of stakeholders, parties to specific cases and the general public. The Austrian NCP reports annually on its activities to the OECD and publishes these reports on its website.
  4. Accountability: Twice a year, the Austrian NCP informs its Steering Committee about significant developments in its activities, including specific instances. In addition, Austrian NCP reports annually on its activities to the OECD Investment Committee. The Austrian NCP is also subject to periodic OECD peer reviews. At national level, parliamentary questions on the activities of the Austrian NCP may be submitted to the competent federal minister.
  5. Impartiality and equity: The Austrian NCP seeks to maintain the confidence of stakeholders, parties to specific instances and the general public. Moreover, the Austrian NCP counteracts conflicts of interest. As far as possible, the Austrian NCP is available for questions at every stage of the grievance procedure. Where required, the Austrian NCP may organise its deadlines flexibly to account for any differences in parties' capacities and resources.
  6. Predictability: The Austrian NCP provides clear and publicly available information on its role and activities. In particular, it informs about the nature and process of the grievance procedure, the criteria for accepting a specific instance, the possible outcomes of the grievance procedure and the role adopted by the Austrian NCP in a grievance procedure.
  7. Compatibility with the OECD Guidelines: The Austrian NCP always operates in line with the OECD Guidelines. In respect of the grievance procedure, the Austrian NCP assists the parties by contributing its expertise on the OECD Guidelines, thus fostering an agreement that is compatible with these Guidelines.

In accordance with the OECD Guidelines, National Contact Points submit an annual report on their activities to the OECD Investment Committee. The reports are published on the OECD website. Below you can find all annual reports submitted to the OECD by the Austrian NCP to date:

Downloads

Contact information

Austrian National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism
E-Mail: NCP-Austria@bmwet.gv.at
Telephone: (+43) 1 711 00-805240 or 808819
Fax: (+43) 1 711 00-8048819
www.oecd-leitsaetze.at