50 years of the OECD Guidelines: Contributions, limitations, and what is needed next
Recommendations for the OECD and member governments on the future implementation of the Guidelines
Our work on land rights
OECD Watch works to strengthen corporate accountability for impacts on land and tenure rights, including through our work on human rights and environmental due diligence, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, stakeholder engagement, just transition and access to remedy.
We track land rights-related NCP complaints and support communities using the NCP complaint system to defend against corporate harm to their lands and territories.
We fought for stronger reflection of tenure rights in the OECD Guidelines. We continue to urge strong standards for companies on land rights in our advocacy on related policy topics like the just transition.
We advocate for stronger recognition of land and tenure rights in wider corporate due diligence and accountability frameworks.
What the OECD Guidelines say
The OECD Guidelines’human rights and environment provisions recommend important protections for people and communities whose land and tenure rights are affected by business activities. Companies should:
- Avoid causing or contributing to harm to land and tenure rights, and address and remedy such harms when they occur.
- Help prevent or mitigate harms to land and tenure rights that are directly linked to their operations, products or services through business relationships.
- Identify and address environmental impacts that may affect land, territories, forests and fisheries through risk-based due diligence.
- Meaningfully engage with affected communities and people with legitimate tenure rights throughout due diligence, including by removing barriers to participation.
- Avoid reprisals against people defending their lands, forests, fisheries and territories from harmful business activities.
- Ensure investments in land, forests and fisheries respect legitimate tenure rights and do not contribute to dispossession.
The Guidelines refer to the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGTs), which provide further guidance on respecting legitimate tenure rights.
Get involved
Want to learn more about OECD Watch’s work on this issue? Get in touch with us to find out more about our advocacy and resources, or to discuss how the OECD Guidelines can support your work. Reach out directly.
Related resources
Land rights factsheet
Get a practical overview of what the OECD Guidelines say about land rights. Available in:
English
Arabic
French
Spanish
Portuguese
Related NCP complaints
Explore complaints where land rights violations were raised and filed by civil society.
Review related complaints
How to use the Guidelines
The OECD Guidelines provide civil society with a framework for engaging companies, governments and other decision-makers on responsible business conduct. You can use the Guidelines to:
Help communities and other affected people understand the standards companies are expected to meet and the rights and protections they can demand.
Use the Guidelines to talk to companies about their impacts and demand that they prevent, address and remedy harm.
Use the Guidelines to advocate for strong laws, policies and corporate practices that protect people and the planet and hold companies accountable.
When a company falls below the standards in the Guidelines, you can bring a complaint to an NCP and seek accountability and remedy.
Connected issues
Gender
How companies should use a gender lens to identify and address the distinct impacts of their activities on women and LGBTQI+ people.
Human rights
How companies can respect human rights, prevent harm and provide or contribute to remedy when harms occur.
Human rights defenders
How companies should respect human rights defenders and prevent and remedy reprisals against those who speak out.
Indigenous Peoples’ rights
How companies should respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including collective rights to culture, self-determination, and free, prior and informed consent.
Stakeholder engagement
How meaningfulengagement can ensure affected people have a voice in decisions that impact them.
Workers’ rights
How companies should respect workers’ rights across their operations and value chains, including freedom of association and collective bargaining.
Related news and publications
Short guide to the Guidelines for civil society
Understanding and using the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct
