Multinational Enterprises and Responsible Business Conduct Unit (MULTI/RBC)

The Multinational Enterprises and Responsible Business Conduct Unit (MULTI/RBC) is the ILO’s lead unit for the promotion of the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) - the ILO’s instrument for promoting labour standards and principles in the corporate world and the most comprehensive global standard on business and decent work. For more information about the MNE Declaration, its operational tools and examples of how its principles are applied in a country context, see www.ilo.org/mnedeclaration. 

The unit receives direct guidance from the ILO Governing Body, more specifically the MNE Segment of the Policy Development section, previously the Subcommittee on Multinational Enterprises, which reviews on a regular basis the overall strategy and underlying activities to promote the instrument together with governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations in ILO member States. 

The key means of action of the unit are:

  • Awareness raising and training activities on the MNE Declaration and its operational tools in the current context of globalized production (investment and supply chains).
  • Regional follow-up reports on the promotion and application of the MNE Declaration.
  • The ILO Helpdesk for Business on International Labour Standards: the ILO’s one-stop shop for company managers and workers on how to better align business operations with international labour standards and build good industrial relations.
  • Support to tripartite appointed national focal points for the promotion of the MNE Declaration at the country level and of national tripartite processes leading to such appointment.
  • Country-level assistance to governments, employers, workers and enterprises in ILO member States, including through development cooperation projects and activities that facilitate evidence-based dialogue and collective action among all actors and among home and host countries.
  • Development of resources and tools for governments, social partners and enterprises on a wide range of issues covered by the MNE Declaration.
  • Facilitation of dialogues between multinational enterprises and trade unions, when the Office receives a joint request for such dialogue facilitation under the MNE Declaration.
  • Coordination across the ILO of policies and initiatives related to Responsible Business Conduct (RBC).
  • Collaboration and partnerships with international organizations on the RBC agenda in the context of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. The unit has established collaboration with the UN Global Compact, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNDP, UN Women, UNCTAD, OECD, WAIPA amongst others.

Contact the MULTI/RBC unit at multi@ilo.org