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Get hold of Codes of Conduct written by TNCs in your region, or their industry associations. These contain some quite far-reaching promises. Many of these are circulated only in the home country of the TNC, and report only anecdotally on their achievements abroad.Publicize them. Demand that TNCs deliver on their promises in their worldwide operations.
Use these promises to raise the level of debate and elevate public expectation of what to expect of corporations in the areas of social and environmental responsibility.
Publicize where they are not meeting their promises Get this information out locally and in the home country of the TNC.
Create model Codes of Conduct for TNCs - aimed either at changing a particular practice or set of practices, or more generally aimed at democratic governance of TNCs.Develop and publicize these Codes. Find allies. Hold press conferences, speak-outs, hearings, meetings with govemments and with other NGOs. Indicate clearly what TNC practices need to come under public scrutiny or national, regional or international governance.
Use Codes to raise consciousness about the impact of TNC practices and the current 'invisibility' of these problems in governmental and intergovernmental debate.
Wherever possible, use Codes as the basis to propose international law in the form of treaties or conventions, or as the basis for national law.
Use this checklist to evaluate industry Codes, or to develop your own:Audit: Independent monitoring or enforcement of business-initiated codes of conduct is essential. Often it is done by the company itself. Is audit discussed ’n the Code? Who audits? To whom and what is reported?
Capacity to be enforced: Corporate Codes of Conduct often lack teeth. They are voluntary guidelines, not legally binding contracts. There should be measurable commitments and timeframes for improvements and consequences for non-compliance.
Comprehensiveness. Few TNCs mandate environmental or social responsibility across departments and across global operations. The principles in a Code should affect the whole organization.
Disclosure: Host governments, workers and local communities must have periodic access to up-to-date information on where, when and how business is conducted, including information on hazardous products and processes, worker safety results and employee practices.
Fair Labor Policies: TNC practices should be non-discriminatory. Workers' rights should be protected, child labor should nor be exploited. Equitable opportunities should be secured, regardless of gender, clas,. race, ethnicity or political opinion. Freedom of association should be guaranteed.
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