OECD MISSION REVIEWS RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONDUCT POLICIES IN PERU

Lima, October 1, 2019.- As part of the Responsible Business Conduct Policy Review (CER) process in Peru, led by the OECD, a mission from said organization, made up of experts Froukje Boele, Stamatis Kotouzas and Germán Zarama, arrived in Lima to develop an agenda of activities during their visit from September 23rd to 27th of this year.

This visit, which was carried out within the framework of the Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) Regional Project in Latin America and the Caribbean – CERALC Project, had the participation and support of the National Contact Point, located in ProInversión, to coordinate an active work agenda of the mission, through meetings with public and private organizations, civil society organizations and unions.

Given the importance of RBC for sustainable development, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with the support of the European Union (EU), are working on the implementation of the CERALC Project in nine (09) Latin American countries, including Peru.

The RBC Policy Review in Peru will provide an overview of our country’s policies and regulations in the areas covered by the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, including human rights, employment and labor relations, the environment and the fight against corruption. In addition, the review will cover issues related to the economic role of the government in promoting RBC, including investment policies, state-owned companies, and State contracting.

OECD MISSION IN LIMA
As part of the activities carried out during the OECD Mission’s visit to Lima, we can also mention the participation of the Human Rights Directorate of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (MINJUSDH), which leads the process of preparing the National Action Plan for Companies and Human Rights, which has the participation of the Peruvian NCP in the working group of the Executive Branch.

It should be noted that the CERALC project launch ceremony in Peru was held on September 23 at the ILO auditorium in Lima. On that same date, the MINJUSDH held a Workshop on the OECD Guide for Due Diligence.

Another of the relevant activities carried out by the OECD Mission took place on September 25 in the context of the plenary sessions of Expoalimentaria 2019, which included the participation of the Director of the Investor Services Division of ProInversión, Cesar M. Peñaranda, representing the NCP, who presented the OECD Guidelines for Businesses and their importance to promote Responsible Business Conduct in Peru.

Later, on behalf of the OECD Mission, there was the central participation of Stamatis Kotouzas, who presented the OECD Due Diligence Guide for Responsible Business Conduct in the agricultural sector: The OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chain. Closing this cycle of talks, a presentation was also given to various representatives of companies from the National Society of Mining, Oil and Energy.

Finally, on September 27, the OECD Mission for the review of CER policies in Peru closed its activities in Lima at ProInversión, with the participation of representatives of the Peruvian NCP and the General Directorate of Human Rights of the MINJUSDH.