Seeking remedies for corporate human rights abuses: What is the contribution of OECD National Contact Points?

Because existing legal frameworks have proven inadequate for the transnational regulation of business, various voluntary forms of governance are relied upon to fill the gaps. Of these, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises ('the Guidelines') is unique. Though not legally binding on MNEs, it is one of the only government-backed multilateral instruments that applies directly to firms and which is enforced by a unique complaint mechanism referred to as 'National Contact Points' (NCPs). Though this complaint mechanism has been subject to considerable criticism, the fact remains that the NCPs are one of very few mechanisms for holding MNEs accountable for negative externalities – including human rights abuses – that arise through their business activities. However, the Guidelines and NCPs suffer from a lack of visibility, including in academic research. This chapter provides an overview of the history and functioning of the Guidelines and NCPs, before outlining the main discussions in the literature.

ISBN:9781788979825

Publication year:2022

Accessibility:Closed