The Confidentiality Principle, Transparency and the specific instance procudure

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) ‘Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises’ (Guidelines) are a government-endorsed set of voluntary principles and standards for responsible corporate conduct. OECD2 and non-OECD3 governments that have endorsed the Guidelines have an obligation to set up a ‘National Contact Point’ (NCP) to promote adherence to the Guidelines by multinational companies. NCPs are also responsible for handling ‘specific instances’ that are raised by complainants when companies’ investment- related activities are alleged to contravene the Guidelines’ principles and standards.