OECD Watch is an international network of civil society organisations from across the world promoting corporate accountability and responsibility. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (the Guidelines), which can neither impose sanctions nor offer compensation, are at present one of the few mechanisms available for holding companies to account. OECD Watch is committed to testing the Guidelines as part of the wider NGO campaign towards binding regulation of multinationals. The OECD Guidelines, with their unique mechanism for resolving problems arising from irresponsible corporate behaviour, have the potential to reduce and resolve conflicts between civil society and multinational companies. The OECD Guidelines and other internationally agreed standards, principles and guidelines (such as the ILO Conventions and Declarations and The International Bill of Human Rights) provide a comprehensive framework for addressing the role and responsibility of the private sector in sustainable development and poverty eradication. 

The Network

OECD Watch is a network that serves to strengthen cooperation between civil society organisations worldwide, built capacity and promote a corporate accountability framework in the interest of sustainability and poverty eradication. OECD Watch was established at a meeting between civil society organisations in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, on March 20-22, 2003, with the primary aim to help facilitate NGO activities around the OECD Guidelines and the work of the OECD’s Investment Committee (IC). The network’s membership consists of a diverse range of civil society organisations working on human rights, labour rights, consumer rights, transparency, the environment and sustainable development. For the full list of member organisations, please see the members page.

The network has a Coordination Committee with a diverse regional representation, and is currently made up by SOMO (Netherlands - secretariat), ACIDH (Democratic Republic of Congo), Association Sherpa (France), CEDHA (Argentina), CIVIDEP (India), ForUM, (Norway), Friends of the Earth Europe (Belgium), Germanwatch (Germany) and Oxfam Australia (Australia).

Beyond its membership, the OECD Watch secretariat is in close contact with other civil society groups and networks interested in the work of the OECD, such as ECA Watch and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

OECD Watch’s work with the OECD Investment Committee and other OECD bodies

The OECD Investment Committee has acknowledged OECD Watch's contributions to the Committee's work, and has named OECD Watch “a partner in implementing the OECD Guidelines”. In addition, the Investment Committee has asked for OECD Watch’s advice on interpreting the Guidelines and on requests for clarification from NCPs. OECD representatives have attended conferences organised by OECD Watch. In July 2007, OECD Watch and the Chair of the Investment Committee signed an agreement that the OECD Secretariat will systematically provide all Investment Committee documents classified For Official Use (FOU) to OECD Watch as soon as they are posted on the OECD’s internal database OLIS.

OECD Watch serves as a focal point for bringing civil society perspectives into the IC’s work as the network contributes to and monitors the work of the IC on the OECD Guidelines. OECD Watch has contributed to many other areas of the IC’s work such as Conducting Business in Weak Governance Zones and Risk Awareness Tool for Multinational Enterprises; the Policy Framework for Investment (PFI); Bribery and Corruption; and the Principles for Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure. OECD Watch has also regular contact with other OECD Committees such as the Environment and Trade Committees, in particular on issues related to sustainability. OECD Watch is regularly invited to speak at the OECD’s Annual Roundtable on Corporate Responsibility and its Annual Meeting of Sustainable Development Experts.

OECD Watch’s relationship with governments

OECD Watch has also developed a strong relationship with many European governments. Government representatives and members of parliament from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have attended events organised by OECD Watch. OECD Watch has also reached out to Eastern European governments. Representatives from the Czech and Lithuanian governments attended the April 2005 conference in Brussels. There have also been a number of informal discussions with representatives from Slovakia and Romania. Furthermore, representatives of the European Commission have attended and spoken at OECD Watch events. OECD Watch has actively participated in several consultations with the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative on Business and Human Rights.

OECD Watch’s relationship with businesses

OECD Watch has reached out to businesses through a series of meetings and dialogues. Many businesses are eager to cooperate with OECD Watch in order to develop and improve their knowledge of the OECD Guidelines and their CSR practices. Businesses representatives from ABN AMRO, Allianz Group, Auchan, BP, De Beers, Iberdrola, ING Group, National Grid Transco, Shell, Total and Unilever have attended OECD Watch events and engaged in dialogues with OECD Watch members. In the Netherlands, OECD Watch members SOMO and IRENE hosted a dialogue session in 2006 that brought together representatives from ABN AMRO, Heineken, Nutreco, Berenschot, NBC Vermogensbeheer and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.